Make Your Mark

Photography for a Life-Changing Campaign

Launching a national movement for living kidney donation with powerful, human-first imagery.

When the “Make Your Mark” campaign launched to raise awareness around living kidney donation, I was proud to be behind the camera, helping to give visual form to a life-saving message.

Commissioned by Give a Kidney, Kidney Research UK, and supported by the Robert Dangoor Foundation, the campaign aimed to amplify an urgent and underrepresented issue: the need for more altruistic kidney donors in the UK. Currently, over 5,000 people are on the transplant waiting list, and six people die every week waiting for a kidney. The message was simple but profound:

“Is it inside you to save a life?”

My Role

Working alongside the GOOD Agency, who led on campaign strategy and creative direction, and VINCE, the creative production company behind the films and campaign production, I was commissioned to capture portraits and stills that would become the visual identity of the campaign—used across social media, press, outdoor advertising, and the official campaign site, donateakidney.co.uk.

The Work

The photography had to strike a delicate balance: intimate, respectful, hopeful, and fun. The people featured in these portraits weren’t models—they were real-life donors and recipients, including:

  • Kay Mason, the UK’s first altruistic donor

  • Andy Cole, former England footballer and kidney recipient

  • Marilyse Corrigan, known for her appearance on Married at First Sight

  • And many others who had either given or received a kidney—each with a deeply personal story to share.

Each individual was photographed with visible body markings and symbols, reinforcing the campaign’s visual metaphor:

That the ability to change someone’s life is something already within you.

These portraits were used alongside short films, social media visuals, and window displays—forming a unified and striking public campaign.

The Impact

The campaign received national attention, launching with heartfelt films, powerful real-life testimonies, and the imagery we created together. My photos were used across:

  • The Donate a Kidney homepage and campaign journey

  • GOOD Agency’s case study and promotional assets

  • Posters, digital billboards, and social graphics

  • News features and print coverage

Why It Mattered

This project exemplified how photography can do more than capture a moment—it can help launch a movement. My aim was not only to reflect the dignity and courage of each participant but to give the campaign a cohesive emotional language—something visually honest that could resonate with strangers and potential donors.

A Campaign Rooted in Humanity

The project remains one of the most meaningful I’ve worked on. To photograph individuals who had chosen to give so much—and to be trusted with representing that—was an absolute privilege.

Are you a charity, agency or organisation working on sensitive, high-impact campaigns?
Get in touch – I’d love to help you tell your story.

Jon Holloway