He’s photographed everything imaginable over the last three decades and more.

From Beckham to Bon Jovi.

Premiership football to the launch of Queen Mary 2.

And locations from Bournemouth to Barbados.

But now photographer and videographer Paul Collins wants to put you, and your business and organisation, in the frame.

The 55-year-old has launched PC Visuals with a compelling strapline ‘It’s all about you.’

And as he fulfils a long-held ambition to run his own show, the former newspaper photographer believes now is one of the best times to launch a venture providing visual content.

Paul, a professional photographer on the Bournemouth Daily Echo for six years, said: “Imaging for business has never been more important.

“Every business needs pictures.

“As communication is increasingly conducted online you have just seconds to convey your business or organisation in the most effective, and professional, way to a potential client.

“Great imagery will get you noticed, push you to the top of news websites, and the front end of publications, and crucially, win new business.”

Paul, who’s married to Jane and has two daughters, Elise, 17, and Chloe, 20, studied photography at Mid Cheshire College for two years before joining his first newspaper in Greater Manchester.

He moved to Dorset in 1988 to work on the Echo before switching to sister title, the Southern Daily Echo in Southampton, initially as a photographer before rapid promotion to Deputy Picture Editor and then Picture Editor.

He left the newspaper in 2015 after 16 years in the role and joined a Bournemouth-based PR firm as Head of Visual where he provided photography and video for clients in a range of sectors including education, care homes, law firms, motor dealerships and leisure/events.

Paul said PC Visuals was now ready to help businesses as they navigated their way out of the pandemic crisis.

He said: “My new business will be providing cost effective stills and video for all business sectors and the media.

“These assets can be used on all platforms including websites, news releases, social media, advertising and marketing, training and internal communication.

“I will be very flexible in supporting companies through these difficult times as well as those starting up and filling the gaps once the recovery gathers pace.

“My offer for the next six months – or longer if the pandemic dictates – is to work with organisations and offer bespoke ‘Get Back To Business’ packages at discounted rates to support their recovery.

“This will include a full day on site with photographs of the business at work, interiors, exteriors, products and staff.

“It will completely refresh the visual assets of the business.”

Other services offered by PC Visuals include:

• Fixed cost affordable prospectus/website photography for schools and colleges.
• Fixed cost affordable event photography.
• Product photography on site or utilising a studio facility.
• Fixed cost interior and exterior photography packages.
• Headshot and portrait packages for business.
• Visual project management, solutions for all photography and video needs.
• Realistically priced video to present a company, services or to provide training.
• Video editing from a client’s footage.
• 360 photography and video.
• Fast turnaround of imagery for press assignments, media releases or social media.

Paul, who also has a long-established award-winning wedding photography business, wildaboutweddings.com, said although he was available for business nationwide his core area will be Dorset.

He is also keen to develop mutually beneficial business relationships.

Paul said: “The key is flexibility and the ability to provide bespoke solutions at a very cost-effective price.

“It’s early days but so far I’ve had a really positive response.

“I’ve also had brilliant support from friends and colleagues for my new venture.

“Now I’m just looking forward to getting stuck in and working with businesses and organisations across Dorset as we all chart our way to a better and brighter future.”

• pcvisuals.com