Headshots and Business Photography by Ashley Coombes, Epic Scotland

What Headshots and Business Photography by Ashley Coombes, Epic Scotland does

Epic Scotland Ltd, trading as Ashley Coombes Photography / Epic Scotland, is a Scotland-based commercial photography business operated as a sole proprietorship by founder Ashley Coombes from Gartmore, Stirling. The business delivers commissioned portrait, headshot, lifestyle, food and drink, workplace, education, architecture and interiors, and aerial (drone) photography for brands, publications, and organisations across the UK. Notable enterprise clients include MDDUS (four consecutive years of annual report photography), Lidl (Pick of Scotland campaign, 20 supplier portraits deployed nationally), The Glasgow Academy, Edinburgh TV Festival in partnership with Shutterstock, Archerfield Estate, and Thomas Robinson Architects.

The service is built around Ashley Coombes's individual craft: a documentary-style portrait approach applied in environments ranging from factory floors to government settings, combined with the ability to direct camera-shy subjects. The technical stack consists of professional photography equipment augmented by a Civil Aviation Authority A2 Certificate of Competency that authorises commercial drone operations, enabling aerial capture as a differentiated offering. There is no software, platform, or proprietary technology product; revenue is generated entirely from bespoke, on-location shoot commissions delivered personally by the founder.

The business operates a direct sales-led go-to-market: clients commission work via the company website inquiry form or phone (07887 676002). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly listed; estimates specify shoot duration (standard day up to 9 hours including a one-hour lunch between 9am and 6pm), Licensed Images, usage licences, media territories, and licence durations, with a Base Usage Rate (B.U.R.) applied for additional usage. Marketing relies on the company website (organised by service category with case studies and blog content), Instagram, LinkedIn, and editorial syndication via Shutterstock. The firm is privately held, founder-owned, and bootstrapped, with no external institutional investment, employees, or subsidiaries referenced in available material.

Name

Headshots and Business Photography by Ashley Coombes, Epic Scotland

Legal name

Epic Scotland Ltd

Website

https://epicscotland.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Epic Scotland Ltd is a Scotland-based sole-trader commercial photography studio, founded by Ashley Coombes, delivering commissioned portraits, headshots, lifestyle, food and drink, workplace, education, architecture, and drone photography to UK brands, publications, and organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Photography Services

NAICS

Commercial Photography (541922)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Photography & Photo Production (BPAFAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Photography & Still Production (Stills, Product, Lifestyle) (MPAAAMAI)

Keywords

• Commercial photography services
• Corporate portrait photography
• Headshot photography services
• Aerial drone photography
• Food beverage photography

Headquarters

HQ city

Gartmore, Stirling

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Photography Services: Custom photography commissions for corporate, editorial, and commercial clients. Pricing based on shoot duration, usage licences, and licensing terms as defined in Terms & Conditions. Services include portraits, headshots, lifestyle, food & drink, workplace, education, architecture, and drone photography.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Epic Scotland Ltd, trading as Ashley Coombes Photography, delivers commissioned corporate and commercial photography services from a base in Central Scotland. Services span portraits, headshots, lifestyle, food and drink, workplace, education, architecture and interiors, and CAA-certified drone photography for brands, publications, and organisations across the UK.

Product overview

Ashley Coombes Photography, Epic Scotland Ltd operates as a Scotland-based professional photography studio offering a comprehensive portfolio of photography services. The core offering centers on commissioned portraits and commercial photography work that conveys messages for brands, publications, and organizations. Services include headshots, lifestyle photography, food and drink photography, workplace photography, education photography, architecture and interiors photography, and drone photography. The photographer combines a documentary eye with subtle direction to create natural, credible, and visually distinctive portraits and commercial imagery. The company works with clients across various sectors, from factory floors to government, and serves brands, publications, and organizations of all types.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commissioned Portraits Custom portrait photography services for individuals, corporate clients, and organisations, capturing natural and visually distinctive images using a documentary approach.
• Headshots Professional headshot photography for business professionals, teams, and organisations, designed to present credible and approachable corporate images.
• Lifestyle Photography Authentic lifestyle and commercial photography capturing real moments and scenes for brands, hospitality, and marketing purposes.
• Food and Drink Photography Commercial food and beverage photography for restaurants, brands, and advertising campaigns, showcasing culinary offerings in appetising detail.
• Workplace Photography Corporate workplace and office photography capturing professional environments, teams, and business operations for internal and external communications.
• Education Photography School and educational institution photography including prospectus imagery, reportage of school life, and student portraits for admissions and marketing materials.
• Architecture and Interiors Photography Professional architectural and interior photography for buildings, properties, and spaces, highlighting design features and visual appeal.
• Drone Photography Aerial drone photography services backed by a Civil Aviation Authority A2 Certificate of Competency, providing unique aerial perspectives for properties, events, and commercial projects.
• Corporate and Commercial Photography Comprehensive corporate and commercial photography services for brands, publications, and organisations, including event coverage, advertising imagery, and PR photography.

Quantifiable outcome

• Positive client feedback from MDDUS with overwhelmingly positive feedback from colleagues regarding headshot results
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Jules Akel (Scottish Creative Design Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner collaborator working with Ashley on client projects including The Glasgow Academy prospectus and Urban Bar anniversary book. Provides design services that complement Ashley's photography work.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Shutterstock: Global stock and editorial photography platform that both distributes Epic Scotland's Edinburgh TV Festival portrait work and competes in commercial licensing at scale. Overlapping capabilities (commercial and editorial photography) but as part of a vastly broader platform portfolio.
• Getty Images: World's largest editorial and commercial photography incumbent. Offers overlapping commercial photography capabilities (assignment work, licensing) but as one part of an enormous stock, editorial, and news portfolio.

Emerging players

• Snappr: Online marketplace that connects businesses with on-demand professional photographers for headshots, corporate, and event photography. Competes for the same enterprise on-demand headshot and corporate imagery work via a marketplace model rather than individual studio relationships.
• Headshot Pro: AI-generated professional headshot service targeting corporate customers who want fast, low-cost alternative to traditional photographers. Emerging disruptor of the volume corporate headshot segment that Epic Scotland serves.
• Aragon: AI-powered professional headshot generator offering rapid, low-cost alternatives to traditional photography for individual professionals and corporate clients. Adjacent emerging threat to traditional headshot photography economics.

Direct peers

• Splento: Tech-enabled corporate photography and video service serving UK businesses with on-demand headshots, event coverage, and brand imagery. Directly comparable target customers (enterprise needing headshots and corporate imagery) with a more platform-driven delivery model.
• Juice Photography: Established London-based commercial photography studio offering corporate, editorial, lifestyle, and brand imagery for agencies and enterprises. Directly comparable in service mix and enterprise target market, though operating at larger scale and London-centric.

Others

• PicTime: Photography business management platform providing galleries, booking, and sales tools to professional photographers. Adjacent ecosystem enabler for the photography services industry rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ashley-coombes-corporate-photography
• Instagraminstagram.com/ashleycoombesphoto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Headshots and Business Photography by Ashley Coombes, Epic Scotland