With a strong background in creative and performing arts, Kathy is the ideal partner for Andy. In fact, the pair cemented their partnership when they got married at Gracelands, Memphis, in October 2008.
Kathy, who hails from Enfield, Middlesex, comes from a family of highly creative people. Her eldest brother is an accomplished musician; her other brother is a qualified architect and portrait artist; and her sister is a talented commercial artist. Her parents were both keen performers in amateur dramatics and her mother was a fine writer.
Kathy’s varied career has covered cartography, commercial art and design, writing, reporting and sub-editing. Her creative flair has led her to join Andy full-time as assistant photographer and Photoshop ‘master’.
Kathy insisted: “I love working with images and Andy’s enthusiasm is addictive. I particularly love it when we are working together at weddings and special occasions. We strive to capture the true atmosphere of the event and also reflect individuals’ personalities.”
Fun-loving Kathy has been known to perform in local amateur pantos and musicals, but she is probably best known locally for her dancing. For the last 19 years she has taught and performed Middle Eastern dance, promoting well-being and keep fit for ladies of all ages. Throughout the year Kathy and her ‘ladies’ often give local demonstrations for charity.
Kathy’s love of dance has also led her to establish a weekly specialist column in the local newspaper devoted to all forms of dance in the South West. Needless to say, Kathy and Andy can be found at many a dance event capturing aspiring and top dancers in action. In fact, the couple are regularly asked to photograph stars of the popular BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing including Anton du Beke and Erin Boag; Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace; Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova; and Ian Waite and Camilla Dallerup.
Although Kathy and Andy have travelled extensively, it is Kathy’s dream to travel to India to capture on camera the real atmosphere of this rich country.
Torquay-born photographer Andrew Uglow opened his studio, Pyramid Torbay, in July 2007 and has established himself as one of the leaders in his field in the South West.
Andy’s love of photography stemmed from an early age but it wasn’t until recent years that he took the plunge and decided to launch a full-time career as a professional photographer. Since then he has studied this art form extensively, travelling abroad on field trips through Europe, America and, as far afield as Mexico and Cuba.
He is recognised locally not only for his fine work but also for his out-going personality and obvious love of his work. Andrew is a real people person and has been a mentor and role model for many aspiring and established photographers.
His wife Kathy insists: “He never stops working and just adores what he does. He has a great sense of humour and is wonderful with people.”
Andy regards photography as something that is always evolving and developing. He returned to study at South Devon College in Paignton and was among the top five highest achieving photography A-level students in the country in 2007. While at the college he also received an award for the most outstanding art and photography student and is still held in high regard by his former tutors.
In 2008 Andy was accepted into the ranks of the Master Photographers Association (MPA) after being awarded a prestigious Licentiate qualification. Gaining this accolade is testament to his expertise in this demanding field.
Andy said: “To gain recognition from such a highly regarded organisation is fantastic. This endorsement means reassurance for customers seeking a professional service with high quality results.”
The MPA is the leading organisation within the photographic industry and prides itself on the quality of its members. Membership of the association is only open to full-time professional photographers and commands strict entry requirements.
Andy’s work covers everything from studio shoots to event photography. He is also a recognised press photographer working extensively with both the local and national media. His images regularly appear in Torbay’s Herald Express, Plymouth’s Western Morning News and Newton Abbot’s Mid-Devon Advertiser. Additional publications which have featured his work include The Guardian, Digital Photo Magazine, Devon Today and Dance Today, among others. In fact, Digital Photo Magazine voted his ‘Sleeping Dog’ as an award-winning shot.
Andrew’s Cuban series of images have drawn much praise and he says he is inspired by scenes of ‘local people in local environments’. However, he states his proudest moment as an official photographer at a recent South West visit by Her Majesty The Queen.
