Time To Read: 8 Minutes

Luxury comes in all shapes, fabrics and sizes. Like the facades of a building; our clothes boast ornamental detailing, dramatic silhouettes and additional functionality.

Manchester boasts one of the most unique and juxtaposing building styles of any cityscape. From Edwardian to neomodern, red brick to glass and skyscrapers to public houses, there is nothing quite like it.

Take a look up at Manchester with Private White V.C.

Where did you study?

I went to The School of Artistic Photography in Vienna where I had the opportunity to work and learn from photographers, filmmakers, composers and writers. There I dived into art and photography, exploring analogue techniques, working extensively on personal projects. It was a great and inspiring time for me.

Tell us about how your career has evolved?

As mentioned above, in my early career I started shooting for several skateboard brands and magazines, up until this point I had taught myself everything I knew. 

So, there was still a lot to learn. After my Art School in Vienna and a few years of freelancing and travelling, I decided to jump right into the industry and moved to London to assist several big fashion and commercial photographers. These years were super important for my career - I learnt so much about the technical side of things like studio lighting and digital postproduction, but also it taught me lots about photography as a business: How to deal with agencies, clients, models or celebrities. This time was also essential to build up my own network of creatives around me when I started shooting my own projects.  

On Set With Florian Renner

To help us capture the concept of our ‘Look Up Manchester’ campaign, we worked with internationally renowned photographer Florian Renner. Ahead of our latest launch, we sit down to talk about his passion for photography and shooting on location.

Hi Florian, thanks for sitting down with us. Tell us a bit about yourself...

I was born in Stuttgart, Germany. It Is famous for being the hometown of Mercedes Benz and Porsche. Even though I grew up in such a car-industry driven city, I had a pretty creative upbringing… I went to a school that was pushing art, music and languages from an early age onwards. 

What got you into photography, have you always had a passion for it?

I was fascinated by cameras and photography for as long as I can remember. We had a great skateboarding & hip hop scene in my home-town and I started skating when I was 13. My friends and I filmed each other all the time. So, before I really started getting into photography, I became quite comfortable and adept at using a video camera.

At the age of 16, I got my first proper SLR camera (everything was still analog back then). My main photography topic was my friends. I already knew around that time that I wanted to make this more than just a hobby. If someone asked me then what I wanted to do after school, I said: I want to become a photographer. Only after a knee injury when I was around 18, did I get more serious about photography and took it to the next level. A lot of my friends were sponsored skaters - soon my first pictures got published in skateboard magazines. My career started as a skateboard photographer, travelling the globe and touring with brands like Adidas and Volcom. As you can probably imagine it was an extremely fun and adventurous period in my life. 

Where did you study?

I went to The School of Artistic Photography in Vienna where I had the opportunity to work and learn from photographers, filmmakers, composers and writers. There I dived into art and photography, exploring analogue techniques, working extensively on personal projects. It was a great and inspiring time for me.

Tell us about how your career has evolved?

As mentioned above, in my early career I started shooting for several skateboard brands and magazines, up until this point I had taught myself everything I knew.

So, there was still a lot to learn. After my Art School in Vienna and a few years of freelancing and travelling, I decided to jump right into the industry and moved to London to assist several big fashion and commercial photographers. These years were super important for my career - I learnt so much about the technical side of things like studio lighting and digital postproduction, but also it taught me lots about photography as a business: How to deal with agencies, clients, models or celebrities. This time was also essential to build up my own network of creatives around me when I started shooting my own projects.  

You work for big clients including GQ, capture celebrity portraits, shoot brand campaigns, what projects do you enjoy working on the most?  

I really enjoy the rush of a big production with a large team and a tight schedule, then on the other hand to balance it out, I also I really appreciate when I get the chance to work on my personal projects and ideas - when its only down to me and my camera…  

One of the perks of being a photographer is that it opens doors to places and people you wouldn't have met or seen otherwise. I generally love meeting and connecting with people, and the camera is sometimes just an excuse to do exactly that. I also really love the fact that it enabled me to travel to so many beautiful and interesting places in this world.  

What’s been your career highlight?

After most shoots I come home and carry such fulfilment with me and think and it's been a new highlight of my career, so it's hard to pin it down to one moment. I generally feel a huge sense of gratitude being able to work with so many talented people and creatives. The time I realised I could actually make a living from photography was a massive moment for me. 

What makes a beautiful picture? Is it patience, framing or lighting?

I guess it is a bit of all these things… Framing first of all and the right lighting is essential too, but then it’s timing, patience and most of all a gut feeling that tells you when or where there’s the place and moment for the shot, sometimes it’s just pure luck. There is not a specific recipe that works for me that I can recreate over and over again. For me the most beautiful or striking images that I created happened when either me or the subject was moving slightly out of their comfort zone and they forget the camera is there. It’s often the intimate in-between moments that get captured which end up being the best shots. 

How did you start working with PWVC and get to meet the team?

I got introduced to the brand by Sarah Ann Murray, a dear friend of mine and fantastic stylist that I have been working with for quite some time before we started shooting for PWVC four seasons ago. From the first season on, I felt that it was a great match and I think we are getting stronger each season.

How have we changed the direction over the years?

I think there has always been a general direction and thread we kept constant in order to transport the traditional side of the brand. We tried a few things and concepts throughout the past seasons, which has been stripped down to a very clear visual direction these past two seasons. Not forgetting the model casting which has become a crucial part of the art direction.

You recently photographed our AW campaign. Can you elaborate on what it was like shooting on location in Manchester?

This was the first season we took the collection out on location, we were all super excited and we couldn’t have picked a more suitable location than a selection of iconic streets and buildings in Central Manchester. The shoot days happened to be right in midst of the heat wave and our first shoot day was I think the hottest recorded temperature in Manchester history. Ezra and Joel did an incredible job and we all tried to move as slowly as possible, keeping everyone hydrated and only throwing over the coats and jackets for the models when we really needed them in the shots. This time we also had two absolutely stunning classic cars to shoot with. Working with cars on location always adds another layer into the shots and gives so many options for the model to interact. It was good fun, also for any casual bystanders.

What camera/lenses do you use?  

When I started shooting my first proper camera was the Nikon FE2 which was a great sports camera. I also had my own dark room and did black and white prints myself. I loved being in the dark room for hours and hours in the smell of chemicals. I transitioned fully over to digital around 2007 when finally, the digital quality was good enough for most things. Now I shoot mostly on a Nikon D850… it's my 'work horse’. But depending on the job or project I also enjoy working with medium format, like Hasselblad with a Phase One back. For travelling I use a Fujifilm x100.

What are your favourite shots from the AW campaign?

If I had to pick one, it is probably the shot with Ezra in the Leather Twin Track sitting on the De Tomaso Pantera. These feel quite cinematic and give me associations with film scenes that jump in my head when I look at them. My favourite shot of Joel is probably the one of him in the black and white Donegal, we were just waiting to get into the Wright’s Fish & Chip Shop and just in that moment a sun ray lit up that corner of the beautiful building next door, it was perfect timing! I also love the shots in the fish & chip shop, the colours of the location and the styling complimented the sunlight, they were such a great match.

What camera/lenses do you use?  

When I started shooting my first proper camera was the Nikon FE2 which was a great sports camera. I also had my own dark room and did black and white prints myself. I loved being in the dark room for hours and hours in the smell of chemicals. I transitioned fully over to digital around 2007 when finally, the digital quality was good enough for most things. Now I shoot mostly on a Nikon D850… it's my 'work horse’. But depending on the job or project I also enjoy working with medium format, like Hasselblad with a Phase One back. For travelling I use a Fujifilm x100.

What are your favourite shots from the AW campaign?

If I had to pick one, it is probably the shot with Ezra in the Leather Twin Track sitting on the De Tomaso Pantera. These feel quite cinematic and give me associations with film scenes that jump in my head when I look at them. My favourite shot of Joel is probably the one of him in the black and white Donegal, we were just waiting to get into the Wright’s Fish & Chip Shop and just in that moment a sun ray lit up that corner of the beautiful building next door, it was perfect timing! I also love the shots in the fish & chip shop, the colours of the location and the styling complimented the sunlight, they were such a great match.

History & Heritage of The Stock Exchange Hotel

The Manchester Stock Exchange was built between 1904 and 1906, on a design by Bradshaw, Gass and Hope, the Bolton architectural practice responsible for many of Manchester’s most iconic buildings.

The exquisite example of Edwardian Baroque architecture was purpose built as a symbol of confidence in the future of a growing Manchester, which at the time was the 9th most populous city in the world.

The Stock Exchange Hotel, positioned on Norfolk Street, pays homage to the rich history of the Grade II listed building, both in style and spirit. The Manchester Stock Exchange first opened in 1906, and pictures and framed artefacts on the walls tell the story of the building’s history, from tinted photographs of a New Year’s Eve party held there, and one of traders 100 years ago, to plans of each floor showing what the rooms used to be.

The Bull & Bear restaurant is in the former trading floor, a grand domed room with marble columns, tables and flooring, and green leather booths and banquettes.