Instinct Over Instruction
When asked where his visual style originates, Will traces it back further than most would expect — to family.
“It goes back to my Dad not wanting to pose for family photos. I remember him always being told off for it, but for him it came from a place of wanting to be natural and in the moment and not staged. That’s also now been reinforced by my kids, who will get frustrated if they have to sit too long for a photo. Capturing them in their moments is far better than something forced.”
That instinct — to capture what is real rather than what is arranged — runs through everything Will shoots. It is a philosophy inherited, not taught. And it shapes how he approaches even the most controlled commercial environments.
But there is a second layer. As a filmmaker, colour and sound have always been central to how Will constructs a frame. That sensibility carried over when he picked up photography during Covid, after more than two decades behind the camera in film and television.
“Bold, vibrant and firm colour choices are both consciously and subconsciously considered on every shoot I do.”
For Creative Directors, that combination is rare: an intuitive feel for authentic moments, paired with deliberate, cinematic colour control.
Tango Energy — Stripped Back, Dialled Up
The Tango Energy “Energy Stripped Back” campaign is where Will’s personal style and commercial ambition converge most visibly. It is the project he chose to showcase precisely because it captures both worlds.
In this image, the subject sits shirtless by a fireplace, wearing a bright orange Tango beanie, casually reading a newspaper. It is warm, relaxed, and quietly comedic. The product branding is present but never intrusive. The humour does not feel manufactured — it feels found.
That balance is intentional. Will builds every shoot around colour first.
“Colour is one of the first aspects I’ll be thinking of — which colours to choose from, how to punch them up, where to soften them. When I shot a lot with film I used as much natural light as possible. That’s followed me through when shooting digitally.”
The warm ambient tones, the bold orange of the beanie against a muted interior — every colour choice serves the narrative. For Studio Owners, this is a reminder that colour direction is not decoration. It is structure.
Tango Energy — Movement and Morning Light
Here, the subject stretches awake in a softly lit bedroom, red mug in hand, mid-yawn. The lighting is natural and golden. The moment feels candid — as if the camera simply caught what was already happening.
That sense of unforced energy is what makes the image work as both lifestyle content and product advertising. The Tango Energy branding sits naturally within the frame without competing with the human moment at its centre.
When discussing what makes a product image compelling, Will points to an era most creatives remember fondly.
“Growing up in the 90s, advertising I always thought was engaging, fun and interesting. That’s what I want to see now and what I push for on shoots. It’s fun when a client truly trusts you and hires you because of your artistic vision instead of just gun for hire.”
The Tango Energy work reflects that philosophy. It is advertising that entertains rather than just informs — imagery that earns attention instead of demanding it.
Tango Energy — Confidence in the Casual
The third image from the campaign carries the same warmth and wit. The subject holds a Tango Energy can mid-stretch, completely at ease. There is no studio polish or artificial perfection — just a well-composed moment that feels real, funny, and alive.
Across all three frames, the campaign’s visual language is consistent: warm domestic settings, natural light, bold product colour, and an authentic sense of humour. The product is always present but never forced into the scene. It belongs there.
That consistency is not accidental. It is the result of a photographer who begins every project with a clear visual direction and the creative confidence to follow it through.
Equipment Serves the Vision
Will’s position on gear is refreshingly practical.
“You need a good car to make a long drive but it doesn’t have to be the best car going. Same with kit — you need good kit and you need to know it inside and out so it becomes an extension of yourself. If it turns out you’re a wizard with a GoPro Hero 3 and not a Leica Q3, then that’s your skill. Once that becomes almost automatic, finding your vision and direction will become so much easier.”
The point is clear. Technical fluency matters, but only as a foundation. Mastery of equipment creates space for creative decisions. It does not replace them.
Why Originality Still Matters
When discussing shifts in the industry, Will does not soften his perspective.
“A lot of clients want what they’ve seen work successfully before for other brands. It’s blindingly obvious that that doesn’t mean it’ll work for theirs, but that lack of imagination and trust means there’s less risks being taken to stand out and do something original.”
That pattern — brands defaulting to what has already been validated elsewhere — is one Will encounters frequently. And it extends to an often-overlooked tension in his own work.
“I often get hired because my work is fun, has an element of comedy and is bold and colourful. However, you find that when on set it’s as if that’s an interesting footnote and please can you just shoot what’s been done before.”
For Creative Directors, this is a familiar challenge. Hiring a photographer for their distinctive voice, then constraining that voice in execution, leads to work that could have been made by anyone. The competitive advantage disappears the moment creative freedom is reduced to a footnote.
The Moment That Rewards
Despite the industry pressures, Will’s passion remains grounded in something fundamental.
“When you get that shot — the moment is flowing, the light is perfect, the connection with the subject is perfect and there... BAM! You get that beautiful shot. When shooting on film I would often get this glow that I knew I’d taken a fantastic shot, and waiting for the lab to bring it back made the photo even more magnificent. Good things truly do come to those who wait.”
That patience — the willingness to trust the process and wait for something real — is what separates Will’s work from the high-volume, fast-turnaround approach that dominates much of commercial photography today.
About Will Nash
Will Nash is a Director and Photographer with over twenty-one years of experience in film and television. He picked photography back up during Covid as a natural extension of his directing work — but instead of a large crew to manage, it was now himself and the camera. It has always been incredibly freeing, and he loves jumping back from one discipline to another, looking at both in the same way: the ability to tell a story.
Website: www.willnash.co
All featured images © Will Nash
