Business Details
46 Years
experience
Theatre Photography by Sheila Burnett in London
Established in the 1980s, our theatre photography business combines decades of hands-on experience with a deep understanding of the performing arts. We specialise in capturing the essence of live theatre, actors' headshots, and site-specific installations, drawing on Sheila Burnett's unique background as both an artist and former performer with the Pip Simmons Theatre Group. Our extensive analogue archive, spanning from the 1980s until transitioning to digital in 2003, showcases a distinctive black-and-white aesthetic that remains central to our artistic identity.With over 25 years of professional expertise, we have collaborated with prestigious institutions such as the Tate Modern, National Theatre, and Royal Shakespeare Company, delivering high-quality visual documentation tailored to the needs of theatre professionals and arts organisations. Our work has been exhibited at notable venues including the Midland Grand Hotel St Pancras, demonstrating our commitment to preserving and celebrating theatrical heritage through photography.
Services
Theatre photography
Actor headshots
Site-specific installations
Arts documentation
Production photography
Visual archive creation
Performance documentation
Cultural project photography
Details
- Year established: 1980
Highlights and features
- We offer over 25 years of dedicated theatre photography experience.
- Our portfolio includes work for Tate Modern and National Theatre.
- We maintain a unique analogue archive dating from the 1980s.
- Our team combines photographic expertise with insider theatre knowledge.
- We have exhibited at prestigious venues including St Pancras Hotel.
Services
Theatre photography
Specialist theatre production photography capturing live performances with a distinctive black-and-white aesthetic. Our team documents plays, musicals, and experimental theatre works for promotional use and archival purposes. With decades of experience working in dynamic stage environments, we ensure high-quality images that preserve the artistic integrity of each production while meeting the practical needs of theatre companies and cultural institutions.
Actor headshots
Professional actor headshots combining technical precision with artistic sensibility. We create striking portraits that showcase performers' range and personality, suitable for casting submissions and promotional materials. Our approach draws on extensive experience working with theatre professionals, ensuring images that authentically represent each actor's stage presence while maintaining commercial appeal for industry use.
Site-specific installations
Documentation of site-specific art installations and location-based performances. We specialise in capturing ephemeral works in unique settings, from historic buildings to outdoor spaces, preserving their context and spatial relationships. Our portfolio includes projects at the Midland Grand Hotel St Pancras and Morecambe Bay, demonstrating our ability to translate transient artistic experiences into compelling visual records.
Arts documentation
Comprehensive visual documentation for arts and cultural organisations. Our services cover exhibitions, festivals, and community arts initiatives, creating lasting records of creative endeavours. We work closely with clients to develop tailored documentation strategies that meet both artistic and administrative needs, ensuring valuable visual archives for future reference and promotional use.
Visual archive creation
Creation and management of professional photographic archives spanning analogue and digital formats. We maintain a unique collection of theatre production shots from the 1980s to present, offering historical context and reference material for arts organisations. Our archive services include cataloguing, digitisation, and preservation strategies to ensure long-term accessibility of important visual records.
People
Sheila Burnett
Photographer
Theatre photographer with over 25 years' experience, formerly with Pip Simmons Theatre Group. Specialises in black-and-white production photography and arts documentation. Exhibited at St Pancras Hotel and Morecambe Bay venues.
Questions
What areas do you specialise in?
We specialise in theatre production photography, actor headshots, and documentation of site-specific art installations, with a particular focus on black-and-white imagery.
How long have you been operating?
Our business has been active since the 1980s, with Sheila Burnett maintaining a professional theatre photography archive from that period until transitioning to digital formats in 2003.
Which notable clients have you worked with?
We have collaborated with prestigious institutions including Tate Modern, National Theatre, Royal Albert Hall, Shakespeare's Globe, and Royal Shakespeare Company across our 25+ year history.
Do you offer digital and traditional photography?
Yes, we maintain both analogue and digital capabilities, with a distinctive black-and-white aesthetic that has evolved from our traditional film background since the 1980s.
Can you document location-based performances?
Yes, we specialise in site-specific documentation, having worked at venues including Midland Grand Hotel St Pancras and Morecambe Bay locations.
Do you provide archive services?
We offer visual archive creation and management, including cataloguing and digitisation of historical theatre photography materials dating from the 1980s onwards.
