About decoy_
I’m Alex Mead, the photographer behind decoy, a Manchester-based studio specialising in commercial, portrait, and event photography. Launched in 2011, decoy’s mission is to make professional corporate photography both seamless and creative.
With 15+ years of experience, I’ve delivered headshots and creative content for clients like Amazon, Specsavers, and Manchester City Council. I also have extensive experience capturing the energy of live music and theatre. My approach is solutions-focused, whether navigating complex events, shooting executive headshots, or meeting tight PR news cycles.
Partnering with the UK's leading brands
Big enough to deliver. Small enough to care.
While I lead the creative direction, some stories require a larger canvas. Over the years, I’ve built a hand-picked network of Manchester’s finest creatives. When a project demands it, I pull in a trusted team to scale our capabilities:
- Specialist Photographers for multi-stage or large-scale events.
- Videographers & Animators for integrated digital campaigns.
- High-End Editors for rapid-response, high-volume delivery.
You get the personal touch and accountability of working directly with me, bolstered by the horsepower of a full-service production house.
Edits delivered
Projects
Client partnerships
Years of experience
Read what clients have said about decoy_
Rated 5 stars on Google & Trustpilot based on over 100+ reviews.
Attentive, professional and brilliant communication.
Working on a campaign to target UG & PG students from North America and Canada to encourage them to study in Manchester. Our campaign creative showcased the gritty and yet contemporary uniqueness of Manchester and so we needed to work with a professional and creative photographer to photograph current US and Canadian students in interesting locations across the City. In reviewing Alex's website, we saw that he had the perfect style and so we partnered with him to do a 4 day shoot with 8 students in some amazing locations - many of which Alex suggested. Alex was a pleasure to work with, he put the students at ease and captured some incredible shots that brought our creative vision to life superbly. He made the pre and post production phases easy and we'd definitely work with him again in the future.
Incredible service from start to finish.
Our collaboration with Decoy Media was an integral part of our marketing strategy. The programme of work and images delivered by Decoy Media helped our team to achieve a 20% upturn in occupancy levels during a challenging season. What we appreciated most about working with Alex was his ability to understand the project, translate our ideas, to get everyone on board to deliver the expected results and more. We would certainly recommend working with Decoy Media and will do so again in the future.
I'd happily recommend Decoy...
Hugely professional event photography in a club environment. I'd happily recommend Decoy to any promoter, venue, producer, whoever!
Very pleased with the results
Great photo shoot in Manchester for an upcoming album. Very pleased with the results.
100% recommend!
Phenomenal work - tons of images to work with - incredible flexible with production schedule. 100% recommend!
A few reasons to partner with us_
Benefits of working together.
Experienced Pro
Years of experience capturing events, people, places, and moments.
Competitive Rates
Professional photography without the inflated price tag.
Quick Turnaround
Receive a preview edit the next day, with the full set of edited images delivered via a cloud gallery in 3-5 days.
Excellent Rep
Trusted by global brands including Amazon, Microsoft, and the BBC, with over 100 5-star reviews.
Personal Touch
A relaxed, approachable style that makes guests feel comfortable.
Flexible & Adaptable
From boardrooms to banquets, we work seamlessly in any setting.
Photography Services
We specialise in professional imagery that tells your company’s story. While we are a leading event photographer in Manchester, we bring that same level of detail to capturing the people and personalities behind the brand.
From the energy of a major summit to the precision of a high-end executive session, we ensure every project is delivered with 15+ years of creative and technical expertise.
FAQs
decoy is committed to delivering exceptional visuals with creativity and precision. We take the time to understand your goals, ensuring every image reflects your story and strengthens your brand.
Do you charge extra for travel?
Yes. However, to keep things simple for budgeting, all of our quotes are inclusive of travel and expenses across the UK.
The rate we provide is the final price you pay.
Who owns the image rights?
For the vast majority of our projects, we provide full, unlimited usage rights as standard. You are free to use your assets across press, social media, and marketing materials indefinitely.
How quickly will I receive my files?
We offer a small selection of edits for comms/social media on the same or the next day. The full edited gallery is typically delivered within 3–5 working days, with priority next-day delivery available as an upgrade.
Do you offer video as well?
Yes. We can scale our team to provide interviews, highlight reels, and B-roll alongside our photography to ensure a cohesive look for your campaign.
