Jan Soderquist and Gareth Rockliffe are not only partners in life - they're united in their love for photography. For over three decades, they've shared a passion for capturing the beauty and heritage of families worldwide. More than a career, it's been a heartfelt privilege to weave the stories of remarkable families into the fabric of their legacy. Through their creative vision, they skillfully craft captivating video productions and stunning Fine Art portraits that adorn their clients' beautiful homes, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those they serve.
While expanding upon their very distinctive style, they continue to garner national and international recognition with a growing list of clientele - among them, Sir Richard Branson who twice invited Jan and Gareth to visit his private island, Necker. Photographing the beautiful flora and fauna culminated in a wildlife publication that he provided for his guests and a video production set to music. “We feel truly privileged to have had the opportunity to meet Richard and spend time with him. It was an amazing experience!”
Well-established in portraiture, Jan's hand-colored portraits of children were published by a leading Swiss poster company and produced as posters and postcards that were widely distributed throughout Europe and the United States. Link The owner and art director of the company later invited Jan and Gareth to Switzerland and arranged for several families who loved the work to schedule a portrait session with them - many of whom requested hand-coloring.
Proud to be one of the forerunners in popularizing this timeless art form that dates back to the mid-1800s, Jan continues to receive requests from around the country from families who would like to possess a one-of-a-kind heirloom that can be shared through generations. Link If you feel the same way, please get in touch with Jan for a quote. Call Jan
One of her favorite images - a black and white photograph of her niece, Katie, at the age of five, was purchased several years ago by King Publishing, produced as a poster, and distributed throughout the United States by Bruce McGaw Graphics. At this point in her career, Jan became more focused on families and traveling with them to various vacation destinations, which she and Gareth have been privileged to do for the past several decades.
Their passion for photography has broadened their skill set to include highly sophisticated video productions that incorporate a blend of music, audio narration, time-lapse, and other creative photographic techniques. Traveling far and wide, an 8-week assignment with an exclusive travel company had them shooting in Anchorage, Alaska, and on a luxury cruise ship where they captured stunning photographs for the company's website - beginning in the Russian Kuril Islands, continuing through China and Japan, with Vietnam as their final destination. Other opportunities with this luxury cruise line included voyages to Scotland and Iceland as well as their prestigious Food and Wine Cruise on the Pacific Coast.
In 2014, Gareth, Jan, and their pup, Lily Lu embarked on a massive project called The Great American Coastline. Traveling from San Diego, CA to Cape Flattery, WA over a four-month period, they captured the majesty and beauty of the Pacific coastline. This epic project culminated in a hard-cover coffee table book, a major exhibition, and an impressive HD video production for their many supporters.
Gareth, a native of Southport, England has been in love with photography since he was a teenager and for him, it was an integral part of his spiritual growth. One of his passions is photographing beautiful land and seascapes. You can view his extensive portfolio here. According to Gareth, “Great landscape photography requires one to be fully present, in the moment - completely aware of and at one with the natural world you are trying to capture. Without that connection, you end up with just a picture…with it, you create art.” Both Jan and Gareth would agree, that the same principle applies to portrait photography.
Over the years, Gareth’s work has been featured in numerous publications. He is a five-time recipient of the title of Honorary Color Master and a recipient of an International Color Award from the prestigious Photography Masters Cup in 2010, 2013, and 2022. Also, in 2022, Gareth won in the category of Fine Art at the London Photographic Awards, and in 2023, he received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the International Color Awards.