TfGM: Care Campaign

Key Points

• Client: Transport for Greater Manchester
• Type: Photography (OOH & Advertising)
• Location: Manchester – across tram and bus networks
• Time Frame: Two shoots in Spring, two in Winter
• Photographer: Simon Hyde
• Deliverables: 200+ assets used across OOH sites, bus wraps, and more
• Team: Photographer, Digital Tech, Lighting Assistant, Director, Production Assistant team

The Challenge

Transport for Greater Manchester needed photography that felt anything but stock. The brief called for beautifully lit, elevated images that still looked completely authentic, natural portraits of real people using public transport. They wanted to capture life as it is, across genders, ages, backgrounds and seasons. And they wanted it across both bus and tram networks, by day and by night.

It wasn’t just about taking great photos. It was about telling a human story, visually, one that showed care, community, and the quiet moments that define our daily journeys.

The Plan

To hit every nuance of this brief, we broke the project into four dedicated shoot days, two in spring, two in winter. This allowed us to cover seasonal differences authentically, while making sure we had time to shoot at both daytime and nighttime across key locations.

We ran meticulous location recces in advance to plan lighting setups, compositions, and scheduling. Then we cast a diverse range of models to reflect the city and the people who move through it every day. The goal? Authenticity in every frame. From the way people looked, to the way the light fell around them.

Simon Hyde led the photography team, supported by a digital technician and lighting assistant. Our Eight Engines crew brought production know-how and logistical oversight, with a director and production assistants on hand to keep the shoot ticking over and the client feeling confident at every step.

The Results

Across the four shoot days, we captured over 200 final images; every one of them graded and retouched by Simon Hyde with care and finesse.

The result? A cohesive image library that felt warm, human, and real; exactly what the campaign needed. The work has since been rolled out across Greater Manchester as part of a city-wide OOH campaign: on bus stop posters, tram stop billboards, and even full wraps on buses themselves.

The campaign told a quiet story of community and connection, and it did it in a way that was impossible to ignore.