Taking Pictures, Changing Lives - Turning Passion into a Charitable Foundation

At GivingWorks, we believe that making a difference should be accessible to everyone—especially to those with the passion and drive to create meaningful change.

This is the story of Adam Dickens, a professional photographer who turned his lens into a tool for transformation through his initiative Taking Pictures, Changing Lives.

With the support of GivingWorks, Adam was able to formalize his charitable ambitions, create lasting impact, and support vital community projects around the world.

Who is Adam Dickens?

Adam Dickens is a UK-based photographer with a gift for capturing humanity at its most authentic.

In 2013, he founded Taking Pictures, Changing Lives - an initiative born from a simple but powerful idea: provide charities with professional photography to help them tell their stories, attract support, and raise funds.

For years, Adam worked with charities both in the UK and abroad, offering his skills on a volunteer basis. His photographs gave a voice to the people behind the causes - children receiving life-changing surgery, women learning new skills, communities rebuilding after crisis. But as his work grew, so did the need for a more sustainable and structured way to raise funds and scale his impact.

The Challenge

Despite his growing portfolio and proven impact, Adam faced a common hurdle: without a formal charitable structure, it was difficult to receive donations, secure funding, or provide the governance and transparency expected by supporters.

Adam needed a way to:

Accept tax-efficient donations in the UK
Ensure funds were managed responsibly
Dedicate more time to photography, not paperwork

That’s where GivingWorks came in.

Partnering with GivingWorks

In 2019, Adam partnered with GivingWorks to establish Taking Pictures, Changing Lives as a charitable foundation under its umbrella. Through this partnership, Adam was able to:

Set up a charitable fund without the complexity of registering a standalone charity
Receive Gift Aid on eligible donations
Rely on GivingWorks for financial management, regulatory compliance, and governance support

“Working with GivingWorks has enabled me to focus on the heart of my work - telling powerful stories through photography - while knowing the administrative side is in expert hands,” Adam says.

The Impact

Since partnering with GivingWorks, and with a more robust foundation behind him, Adam and his team have been able to:

Raise thousands of pounds to fund photography trips and charity projects, exclusively using a team of local professional photographers in their own countries and communities
Work with over 25 charities across Africa, Asia, and the UK
Provide professional imagery that helps these organisations attract funding, volunteers, and media coverage

One such project was with a health charity in Uganda, where Adam’s photos helped drive a successful campaign for maternal health services. In another, his work with a London-based charity helped revamp their entire website and donor outreach strategy.

Each photo tells a story - and with GivingWorks, those stories now go even further.

Conclusion

Adam’s journey is a testament to what can happen when passion meets practical support. Through GivingWorks, he turned a solo mission into a charitable foundation that continues to create real, measurable change.

Whether you’re a creative, a community leader, or someone with a big idea and a giving heart - GivingWorks makes it easier to make a difference.

Right now, Taking Pictures, Changing Lives is running a fundraising campaign to support their 2025 projects, which will help even more charities share their stories and raise vital funds. You can learn more and donate here.