Portrait project of knife maker, Artisan Stan.

This was a portrait shoot born out of intrigue and a passion for documenting the lives of folk who make things. I heard about Artisan Stan through social media and was instantly drawn to his story. A PT by day, but a bespoke knife maker by way of pandemic. Stan had followed his own line of intrigue and had created a forge at the bottom of his garden. I’m always interested in how things are made and the process involved, so an hour or two watching him bang stuff with a hammer and make a few sparks was great for the camera, but what was more enjoyable was the story behind this new venture. Having been in the same situation as Stan, with my industry completely grinding to a halt during the pandemic, I too looked for other avenues and opportunities. Mine took me down the Mountain Leader route and off to the mountains, his was making craft steel ware. Learning about the level of detail that goes into each creation was fascinating and hopefully this lockdown opportunity has created an alternative direction for him. Follow him on @artisan.stan on Instagram to see more of his work.