About Sandra Ford 

Sandra Ford celebrates over 40 years as a professional photographer in 2022.   She is a multi-award winning portrait and newborn specialist and has worked throughout the UK and in South Africa.

In her words …

“When I am not photographing people or dogs, I enjoy getting out and about.
I love cars and motorbikes,I have done for many years and my dad, who isn’t a biker actually bought me a bike when I turned 16.  How cool is my dad?

I ride a Kawasaki VN 1700 cruiser style motorbike and a Yamaha XJR 1300 muscle bike. (This part will change quite often as I change my bikes regularly, not long ago it was a Harley Davidson Sportster and a Kawasaki ZZR 1400)) 

I have a Doberman Pinscher called Harley. He is quite a character and is true to his breed, a proper velcro dog.  I never go to the loo alone.

I grew up in Pontefract in West Yorkshire and have lived all over England and  Scotland, where at one time, I lived in a cottage in the garden of a beautiful castle.

I moved to  South Africa in 1996 where I stayed for 7 years, I photographed portraits, commercial and weddings while I was there plus I started and ran my own plant and seedling nursery.

I have also done armed response on a number of occasions when I helped with a security company that Campbell, my husband,  was a director of in Kwazulu-Natal.

I used to drive my children  round on Safari to see wild animals.

And …I have been struck by lightening!

I have been married to Campbell, my long suffering husband for over 35 years.

We have two daughters, a son and two grandsons. (Plenty of practice subjects over the years!)

My Career

I trained in photography from an early age and started to learn through the camera club circuit.

I assisted my dad in running the camera club for the West Riding Automobile Company from 1980 (The green buses from Featherstone depot).

It was from camera club introductions that I  had many one to one lessons from lecturers  in the Yorkshire Photographic Union.

I opened my first studio / business premises in 1982 in Pontefract; then when my dad was able to take voluntary redundancy from National Bus, he came to work with me.  I repaid him by getting married and moving to Scotland. Oops…

Although I was an experienced wedding photographer and qualified with the Master Photographer’s Association in that field, I have over the years, gradually turned to being a specialist in Portrait Photography and work solely from my boutique designed  portrait studio outside my home in Fitzwilliam. The location is superb as I have a secure garden too so its safe for Children and Dogs (they can’t escape 🙂 it is also located in the perfect location for Pontefract (Close to Wakefield , Barnsley and Doncaster in West Yorkshire.

I have constantly continued to learn, you never stop!

Photography is everything to me, I seek out the best trainers in the world to update my skills, you never stop learning.

Having seen things change in the photographic industry over many years, one thing is now more certain than ever before,   it is important to exist in photographs for your family.  It is my job and my privilege to make that happen.