Aston Martin Valhalla Photoshoot
How did I start collaborating with Aston Martin Newcastle?
This is one of my favourite stories ever. As a legitimate long-term fan of Aston Martin cars, I always wanted the opportunity to capture them through a lens.
In March 2019, I started Digifin with an iPhone XS and a ton of energy. I knew that to be successful I needed content, and I wasn’t worried where that content came from. Content is king, and I needed to attract customers by showing social proof — that I walk the walk. Far too many creators talk about what they claim they can do but don’t have the content to back it up. I’m different. I’m honest. I’m authentic.
In the autumn of 2019, I dressed smartly, bought a tray of 20 doughnuts from Asda, and walked into Aston Martin Newcastle. I introduced myself, explained what I did, and held a confident smile. I handed the doughnuts to Joanne on reception and asked for permission to film a car in the showroom, edit it while I was there (on Apple iMovie), and give it to them for free — with no small print other than if they used it, they tagged me in.
The dealer principal at the time, Paul Thursby, came to say hello, took me upstairs and introduced me to the brand-new limited-edition DBS “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” Edition, organised some coffee and snacks, and left me to it. An hour later I was done.
And essentially that’s it. I was bold, confident, and friendly. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to be trusted to take cars from them around the North East and the Lake District for photos and fun. They’ve asked me to film events for them as well as capture customer experience days — and they’ve always treated me like a member of the team.
You might think the best thing is flying around in fast cars — and yes, it’s nice — but it’s not the best thing. The highlight of all this is parking up for photos and meeting members of the public who are in awe of the cars. I let them sit in them, rev them, and take selfies and photos. Getting to stand and chat with new people is just magic — I love that.
The photos below are among some of my favourites I’ve ever taken. This is the brand-new 2026, £1m+, 1064bhp, 217mph Aston Martin Valhalla. Myself and AMN Sales Executive Chris Thompson had a great mini road trip on the morning of Saturday 7 March 2026.
Don’t forget to have a poke around my website to see videos, showreels, photos, and more website testimonials than anyone else in the UK in my sector. Not bad for someone who started on an iPhone and is self-taught, yeah?
Doughnuts for the win.
Soak these up.
Lee.
