FREE: Shay Rowan Exhibition Launch
Mill Two, 1853 Studios, Oldham, OL9 6QQ
Thursday 6th August 2026
As someone who has always been fascinated by the amazing work & the various styles of many great photographers I often felt that it was a world in which I wanted to be involved in some small way but never really knew how.
My passion for live music & theatre has been a vital part of my life for many decades but it has only been during a comparatively recent period of around fifteen years where I have attempted to capture on camera a little something of the magic that i am fortunate enough to witness in person.
This was due largely to the revolution of digital photography which encouraged me to try my luck at gigs I was attending, initially with my first compact camera and (as I acquired a real taste for it) by investing in better equipment.
Living in Manchester has provided me with a constant supply of every conceivable form of entertainment imaginable - music, theatre, dance, comedy, poetry, burlesque, spoken word and much more.
As a music fanatic I still love capturing gigs, most often in the grass roots venues that I prefer to attend and occasionally I enjoy the chance to do a little photo shoot here & there. I have had my photos used on two album covers and featured in musical publications and posters.
My theatre photography is something that I also love and has become a perfect combination of pleasure & work (in that order).
In addition to enjoying the challenge of trying to capture what the artists bring to a performance I also love to see how the process evolves and what goes into a show long before the audience take their seats on opening night.
I love being part of those audiences myself to watch it all come together and, if the photos I take can in any small way help fill a seat or two, that is a result.
I have been blessed to work with a large amount of artists & creators for many different companies in a variety of theatres & spaces in Manchester, the North West and beyond, taking photos in promo, rehearsal, dress & performance.
Over the years I have worked at & with Greater Manchester Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Manchester School of Theatre, The Arden Theatre & Arden Musical Theatre, Louder Than Words and on more shows than i can possibly list.
I have also been fortunate to have photos used in several publications along with posters, flyers and regularly in reviews & features.
Combining things I love to do has been a lot of fun and hopefully I will do it for a little longer yet. It's always a joy to join Dare To Know Theatre and it's huge honour to me that Miranda & Jake have allowed me to create my first ever exhibition here this year.
I hugely enjoyed Dare To Create Festival 2025 and I am looking forward greatly to another wonderful event this August.
My passion for live music & theatre has been a vital part of my life for many decades but it has only been during a comparatively recent period of around fifteen years where I have attempted to capture on camera a little something of the magic that i am fortunate enough to witness in person.
This was due largely to the revolution of digital photography which encouraged me to try my luck at gigs I was attending, initially with my first compact camera and (as I acquired a real taste for it) by investing in better equipment.
Living in Manchester has provided me with a constant supply of every conceivable form of entertainment imaginable - music, theatre, dance, comedy, poetry, burlesque, spoken word and much more.
As a music fanatic I still love capturing gigs, most often in the grass roots venues that I prefer to attend and occasionally I enjoy the chance to do a little photo shoot here & there. I have had my photos used on two album covers and featured in musical publications and posters.
My theatre photography is something that I also love and has become a perfect combination of pleasure & work (in that order).
In addition to enjoying the challenge of trying to capture what the artists bring to a performance I also love to see how the process evolves and what goes into a show long before the audience take their seats on opening night.
I love being part of those audiences myself to watch it all come together and, if the photos I take can in any small way help fill a seat or two, that is a result.
I have been blessed to work with a large amount of artists & creators for many different companies in a variety of theatres & spaces in Manchester, the North West and beyond, taking photos in promo, rehearsal, dress & performance.
Over the years I have worked at & with Greater Manchester Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Manchester School of Theatre, The Arden Theatre & Arden Musical Theatre, Louder Than Words and on more shows than i can possibly list.
I have also been fortunate to have photos used in several publications along with posters, flyers and regularly in reviews & features.
Combining things I love to do has been a lot of fun and hopefully I will do it for a little longer yet. It's always a joy to join Dare To Know Theatre and it's huge honour to me that Miranda & Jake have allowed me to create my first ever exhibition here this year.
I hugely enjoyed Dare To Create Festival 2025 and I am looking forward greatly to another wonderful event this August.
