Born and raised in St Annes, Lancashire, Karl has worked for his father as a Road Markings Operative since leaving school. Currently living in Blackpool with his partner and four children; Karl has always had a keen eye for beautiful landscapes and scenery, but had previously been taking snaps on family outings mostly. Having received a DJI Mavic for Christmas in 2019, Karl started really focusing his energy on his photography in early 2020; taking photos of the local Blackpool area. It was at this point when taking photographs became a real passion. In March 2020, Karl, like many others in the UK, was furloughed due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the prospect of eight weeks off work, Karl purchased a Nikon camera, set up a Facebook page (SkyShots – Karl Houghton) and off he went!
Karl’s photographic focus is mainly his hometown and the surrounding coastal areas – which can be seen from some of his most iconic images of Blackpool Tower and the town’s three piers. However, his versatility as a photographer is clear, and he also enjoys snapping the idyllic scenes of the Lake District and other picturesque, rural areas.
Karl has a wide following on social media with followers from all over the world. His photos have been featured in several big publications including The Guardian, The Times and Lancashire Life. In addition, he was also commissioned by MTV to produce drone footage of the 2020 Virtual Illuminations Switch On event in Blackpool.
Since pursuing photography more seriously, Karl has enjoyed an absolute whirlwind of success! For the sake of his many followers across the globe, we hope he continues capturing his signature striking images throughout the UK – and perhaps one day further afield… Watch this space!