Pop! Studios

Why choose Pop! Studios for portrait photography in Derby? Pop! Studios is a specialist portrait studio based in the historic Darley Abbey Mills, Derby. From the moment you arrive we focus on turning imagination into lasting artwork. Led by multi-award-winning photographer Simon Mackney, our team creates cinematic, theatrical portrait experiences designed to capture genuine personality and emotion rather than the standard posed snapshot. What makes our approach special We design everything in-house: large film‑grade sets, carefully sourced outfits and hand-picked props all combine with bespoke digital backdrops and expert post‑production to produce images that feel like fine art. Our style sits at the intersection of storytelling and portraiture — think Hollywood‑style sets, imaginative scenarios and a painterly finish applied by our experienced editors. Each image is treated as a piece of artwork, and we allow the time needed to make every portrait unique. How we work with you Your experience follows our simple three-step rhythm: Book, Enjoy the Experience and The Viewing. Sessions are theatrical and relaxed — children warm up, explore the set and get into character while our photographers guide them with patience and fun. We provide most outfits and all props to keep visits stress-free. After the shoot you return for a private cinematic viewing where the finished artwork is revealed and you can choose the pieces that suit your home. Our studio is intentionally designed to welcome families and to be calm for children with sensory sensitivities. Each experience includes a complimentary mug and two keyrings featuring your favourite image, with an option to commission larger finished pieces if you'd like a framed masterpiece for your wall. Additional expertise — pets and creative portraits While portraiture is our core specialism, we also run our Pop! Masters Pets experiences at the Derby studio. Our photographers are practiced at working with animals and family groups to create playful, elegant pet portraits that sit comfortably alongside our fine‑art family imagery. Our passion Pop! Studios was created to make portrait sessions memorable, creative and full of wonder. We love crafting images that families treasure — combining technical skill, theatrical set design and careful digital finishing to produce portraits that last a lifetime. If you want a portrait that tells a story and becomes art on your wall, Pop! Studios in Derby is built to deliver.