Bank of England Photography

Press Kit

Unique Properties

One of the functions of the Bank of England is to print banknotes. The British Pound Sterling notes have different features that make them unique. The official photography of the notes depicts security features, characters, and the beauty of their design.
The images have been grouped into three categories, that are groups of notes, details, and abstract.

Dimensions & Packaging

Resolution 350 x 350
Dimensions 6720 x 4480
ISO Speed 100
Exposure time 1 125
Colour profilesRGB IEC61966 2.1
Colour spaceRGB

Tags

Banknotes, Bank of England, Notes, Pound Sterling, British Pound

Production Technology

The photographic side of the project was shot on an SDLR Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera using a macro lens EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, pushing its capabilities to the limit.
Using a shallow depth of field and backlighting with black material to create show through on areas of the notes.
Particular care was taken to enhance the detail and colour of each note, without being too obvious. The imagery should reflect each area within the design brand.

Design Challenge

There are several restrictions on the way the Bank of England banknotes can be reproduced. The main challenge was to define a style that showed the beauty of the notes while following the law and the guidelines from the Bank.

Project Duration

The project started back in May 2020, before the approval of the wider project. The first day was during lockdown at the photographer's home studio on 30 March 2021. On 7th May some of the angles and variations have been refined. The project covered the 5, 10, and 20 pound notes. The final shoot day was on 20.02.2022 when the photographer shot the new 50 pound note to complete the set.
Abstract moving image formed part of the shoot and this was achieved using the same camera shooting in slow motion.
The entire body of work was shot at the photographer's home studio in Chartham, Kent.

Operation Flow

Images for branded photography can be used on digital and print applications.

Research

The photographic approach was a combination of the photographer's experience and experimentation. The photographer played around with the lighting and pushed the use of the lens to the extreme, manually focusing and moving the notes in front of the lens at close proximity until something interesting happened. The assistant helped press the cable release, adjust the light, or move material around, as most of the time the photographer was manipulating the notes until desired effect was achieved.

Inspiration

The beautiful detail of the notes was inspiration enough, combined with abstract, graphic composition and back lighting, the challenge came in making the notes become more exciting to look at and less obvious.

Image Credits

Image #1: Photographer Lee Funnell
Image #2: Photographer Lee Funnell
Image #3: Photographer Lee Funnell
Image #4: Photographer Lee Funnell
Image #5: Photographer Lee Funnell

Patents

Bank of England

Colors of Bank of England Photography