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From the start…
Mackney Photography began in 2006 when Simon Mackney decided to follow his passion for photography and portraiture and open his own studio. What started with a love of creating beautiful portraits soon grew into something much bigger.
In 2012, Simon’s wife Wendy joined the business and Mackney Photography became a true family affair.
Over the years our family has grown – not just at home, but here in the studio too.
We’ve always believed in nurturing talent. Training photographers, sharing our experience and helping them develop and hone their own craft is a huge part of what we do. Some of our team have grown with Mackney from the very beginning of their careers, developing their skills, finding their own style and becoming the talented professionals they are today.
But creating a Mackney portrait has never been the work of just one person.
Behind every photoshoot is a whole team of people who care about making the experience and the finished result something really special. From our photographers and digital editors to our bookings coordinators, viewing room team and production specialists, everyone plays their part.
It’s that combination of creativity, craftsmanship and people that turns a photograph into a finished Mackney piece – something created to be enjoyed in your home and treasured by your family for years to come.
Today
Today, Mackney Photography is an award-winning boutique portrait studio, recognised nationally for our portraiture, our studio and our team.
We’re lucky to call the historic Darley Abbey Mills our home, just five minutes from Derby city centre, where our purpose-built studio has become a familiar place for generations of families.
And that’s probably the part we love most.
Over the years, we’ve watched our customers’ families grow. We’ve photographed couples who have returned with their babies, newborns who have come back as toddlers and older children, families welcoming new additions, and much-loved pets who are every bit as much a part of the family.
Many customers have been coming back to us for years, and there’s something incredibly special about being trusted to capture each new chapter of their lives.
That familiar welcome is a big part of Mackney. We want you to feel comfortable when you walk through our doors, to enjoy being here and to know that the people looking after you genuinely care about creating something beautiful for your family.
New York, London, Darley Abbey
Inspired by our experiences in London and New York - the 2200sq foot studio offers the perfect combination of superb lighting and space, a historic riverside location and picturesque park just seconds away, plus an abundance of ideas and props to ensure your portrait session is as unique as you are.
Be part of our story
For us, portrait photography is about far more than taking a beautiful photograph. It’s about people, relationships, personalities and those moments in family life that pass far too quickly.
Nearly two decades after Mackney began, we’re still a family business at heart. We’re proud of the photographers we’ve trained, proud of the team we’ve built and incredibly grateful to the families who return to us time and time again.
We’d love to welcome you to Mackney Photography and create something beautiful for your family – and perhaps become a small part of your family’s story too.
"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"
Maya Angelou
