James Williamson 2025

Over the past few years, this annual collaboration has become a tradition I value deeply. What began as a simple way to mark a birthday has grown into something more meaningful — an opportunity to work with artists whose craft, character and story resonate on a personal level.

Last year, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Nina Kullik, a Kraków-based illustrator whose work honoured Poland’s rich poster tradition. Her bold simplicity and quiet wit reflected a heritage I hold close, and her hand-signed designs carried forward a celebration of culture, resilience and creativity.

This year, the medium changes — from illustration to photography — but the theme of storytelling remains.

I am delighted to introduce James Williamson, a London-based photographer and director whose work centres on people and lived experience.

I have known James for longer than I can properly remember. I first met him and his wife when I was introduced to their young children — an occasion marked memorably by yoghurt being enthusiastically flicked onto my suit! Over the years, that introduction turned into a friendship. We share a love of photography, of two-wheeled transport — whether motorcycle or mountain bike — and of the quiet satisfaction that comes from mastering a craft.

James picked up his first camera at nine years old, having decided — with refreshing honesty — that drawing was not his strength. Photography became his language. Many hours were spent in the darkroom mastering black and white film and learning the discipline of light and shadow  . That grounding in traditional craft remains evident in his work today.

After completing his photography degree at Salisbury College, he moved to London with £50 in his pocket and a determination to build a career  . Assisting on shoots across music, automotive, advertising and fashion, he developed both technical excellence and an instinctive ability to connect with people. His empathy and ease with subjects naturally led him toward lifestyle-focused storytelling.

For more than 15 years, James has created imagery that is emotionally resonant, clear and beautifully simple  . He has delivered global campaigns for brands including BMW, BBC, BrewDog, Heineken and Nokia  , and has been recognised as a finalist in the AOP Awards. Yet he is most proud of work with genuine social impact — including This Girl Can for Sport England and Brave the Shave for Macmillan Cancer Support  .

James also photographed the portraits for this website, captured in that brief window between Covid lockdowns — at a time when my haircut had been undertaken by my wife in the garden. Somehow, through his lens, even that moment of domestic improvisation became something presentable.

If last year’s cards celebrated heritage through graphic expression, this year’s celebrate humanity through the lens — authentic moments, quiet strength and stories that feel real.

As ever, the cards are produced exclusively for our clients. They are printed in very limited numbers, each signed and numbered by James — a small but carefully considered piece of art, created to mark the year with meaning.