Jason Bruges

The greatest thing about working with artists is that most of the time you get to include their work in the images.  Sometimes, it makes it harder, but most of the time it gives you the chance to create images of someone, using props that are interesting in themselves.  This is especially the case when working with artists such at Jason Bruges.  Jason does not only create great big installations but works a lot with light and reflective surfaces.  Like a playground for me! 

Jason, genuinely interested in the photography side of the shoot as well as imagery as a whole, was great to work with.  His studio was two warehouse rooms filled with half finished projects.  All at my disposal.  The shoot was to create images for Jason that he could use for his own PR.  We used his up and coming projects including robots and large ‘disco balls looking’ wall installations which are to be installed on an underground station in Norway. A great big water tank in construction, that will eventually be installed so that sound waves break the light and create patterns on the ceiling of the space it is in.  A genuinely interesting and fun shoot with a very inspirational and friendly man.  

Shot for Jason Bruges

Hannah Peel

I met Hannah for the first time, over Skype in the end of the first lockdown in 2020.  Hannah had agreed to take part in my personal project Rear View Window, photographing people in isolation due to Covid, from around the world.  I instantly warmed to Hannah.  She has one of those personanilities that instantly makes you feel welcome, even if she is 500 miles away in the north of Ireland, and not there in front of me in person.  We spoke a little about her great work as a musician and radio host, before I directed her around her house in Belfast.  Her house was like a musician’s dream - filled with sound proof rooms, mixing tables, microphones , piano, harp and other instruments.  The view was of the Irish sea. What’s not to like?!

It was such a surprise to get a message from Hannah a few months later saying that the Observer were going to do a feature on her and she’d asked her PR to suggest me to take the portrait for the feature.  

A week later, Hannah was in London for a 48 hour trip, to record with an orchestra.  One day was set aside for the shoot, but unfortunately London was in total lockdown, and the weather forecast was 100% rain.  Oh!!!  

Hannah and I talked, I suggested a few places where we might find some cover, but that were not very relevant to Hannah or her work.   Hannah eventually suggested that we could get access to a music shop in North London called Audio Gold.  Talk about a perfect venue!  It had the retro recording equipment from the same period that Hannah sampled on her new album Fir Wave.  As Hannah explains:

“The specialist library label KPM, gave me permission to reinterpret the original music of the celebrated 1972 KPM 1000 series: Electrosonic, the music of Delia Derbyshire and the Radiophonic Workshop.”

I turned up to the shop an hour before Hannah.  The place was filled with second hand record players, amplifiers, speakers, vinyls and anything else you can imagine that has to do with music.  It is a treasure trove for all music enthusiasts.  A place where all your dreams come true, and the people who work there have the knowledge and are friendly enough to care.  It was a perfect fit for Hannah.  Not only is Hannah someone who is knowledgable about all instruments and how to combine them with technology, but her passion for all things ‘sound’ fits right in with the ethos of the shop.  (And I managed to buy myself a vinyl of the live album Live at Carnegie Hall - Bill Withers - I love it!)

Hannah seemed like a good friend from the first word we spoke, remotely over Zoom.  We’ve kept in touch since - and although we have only spoken a few times, it feels like I’ve known her for ages.  Some people just make you feel at ease when you speak to them, and Hannah is just one of those people.  Apart from the good news that Hannah has released the album Fir Wave - she is now also back on the air waves with her radio show Night Tracks - a show that gives that nice comforting feeling.    

Shot for Observer New Review  

Grayson and Philippa Perry

Working with people several times allows for a different approaches and opportunities.  With some people, there may be a case of struggling to come up with new ideas, but in the case of Grayson and Philippa Perry that’s not a problem.  They’re a consistently moving visual subject.  Constantly evolving and always interesting.  I say that having photographed Grayson Perry 8 times, Philippa Perry 4 times - oh, and their cat once.  

In the true spirit of Corona lockdown, this shoot took place outdoors.  Just outside Grayson’s studio in fact.  All brick walls and little to hand that we could use as props. I had however brought my own little stash and was ready to roll.  Grayson and Philippa were hosting the second part of the Lockdown Art program.  A program that sees the couple talking to celebs about art, but also ask the public to enter their lockdown art.  (More series to come).

My boys were given a book called “Boys who dare to be different” from their Auntie Emma for Christmas.  It’s a lovely book that looks at people in history who have dared to stand out from what is considered the norm, and have excelled in what they have done.  One of the people mentioned in this book is Grayson Perry.  On the shoot I mentioned this to Grayson.  On the request of my kids, I asked him if what was written in the book was true.  The first comment from Grayson and Philippa in unison was “but I (Grayson)  am not different.”  It is a comment I should have seen coming from Grayson.  I also agree to a certain degree, whilst completely understanding why he is in the afore mentioned book.  Would Grayson have been mentioned in the book had he just done the art work and not dressed as Claire on occasions?  Probably not.  Does the book then put more emphasis on Grayson’s Claire than Grayson’s many art works?  Maybe.  But the truth is that Claire is in itself an art piece, and Claire, more so than the amazing ceramics and tapestry Grayson does, encourages young and old alike to be who they want to be, despite the norm that group pressure and society puts upon us.  

I do enjoy photographing Grayson as Grayson, or Grayson as Claire just as much.  I love photographing Philippa with her characteristic black and grey hair and unmistakable glasses.  Together - they bounce off each other, like raindrops on a freshly impregnated coat, like a bouncy ball in a school playground, like best friends after a long time apart, like they are each every second word in a sentence that slots perfectly together to make complete sense.  

I may not be considered the kind of friend that would call Philippa and Grayson to hang out and enjoy a glass of wine together, but when I’m on a shoot with them I feel very much like a friend. 

Shot for Observer New Review

Michael Simpson

We arrive at Michael Simpson’s gallery in Somerset and outside is an old classic Citroen. The type that looks a little futuristic for its age and also the first of its kind to have hydraulics that lift the car as it starts. Michael’s studio is in an Old Gas Works, a fitting place for his large paintings. Michael met us at the door, dressed in his casual paint clothes and a pair of modest round glasses. As we enter the old Gas Works halls we are struck by the size of Michael’s paintings, mostly depicting different ladders or steps which lead to a Leper’s Squint, a hole that was often put in the sides of buildings such as churches, for people with Leprosy to be able to watch a sermon without infecting others. As Leprosy is also called Hansen’s disease I personally think we should call it a Hansen’s Squint or a Hansen’s Hole - but then again that may be confused with something completely different!!!

The office also had a platform above with a bed, a more contemporary office space with lots of books, a Mac and a sit down fireplace areas with a coffee table. 'The perfect studio for any artist’ I thought, and that was before he opened up the back door which lead to a walled garden with lots of green plants. The sun was bright and warm and with its tropical plants it left me with the feeling of being in Cuba again. How could a space provide you with so much?

I also love Michael’s work. Something that is seemingly simple, yet carries a lot of meaning, precision, and is visually stunning. This was a great artist to be introduced to and a great pleasure to work with.

Rose Wylie

The beautifully eccentric Rose Wylie has only recently passed 80 years old. Many may ask “Who is she?” and up to a few years ago most would not have heard of her at all. Rose is now a world renowned painter and her work is getting international praise and recognition. We all hear about people who never get to experience their own success and in the case of Rose, she is definitely experiencing it now and let’s hope that she gets to enjoy it for many years to come. Rose lives in a small terrace house in a tiny village in Kent. The hallways and rooms are filled with pictures, posters and other treasures. Her studio, (also in the same house,) is filled with paint splats, paint buckets, paint rags and brushes and even shoes that bare the evidence of years of painting were scattered in a corner in the room. This place feels like a true artist’s house and my curiosity went beyond just wanting to see every room to wanting to be there with Rose and experience her day to day interaction with her space and work. Not only does her work feel genuine and real but her house and studio reflect this very much.

Thea Gilmore

There is no one nicer in the music industry than Thea. She is loved by many artists, a prolific song writer (with 15 albums in 17 years) and she’s only 35 years old. Her music is about creating quality and finds itself reflecting a lot of traditional roots. Her most recent album is a collaborative album where she has brought in talents such as Joan Baez, Billy Bragg, The Waterboys, Joan As Policewoman, John Cooper Clarke, King Creosote and I Am Kloot. This girl is like the musician’s musician, even Bruce Springsteen is supposedly a fan!

We found ourself in a location house in North London, tucked in the back of some small industrial estate. I have admittedly photographed Thea before but that was just a 30 minute shoot in the centre of town. This time we had the luxury of time and a location with plenty of options. We were able to achieve lots of different results that are to be used on her album’s art work, Thea’s website and press for the up and coming tour. It is easy to see how Thea can produce so much music and not be on the top of the charts all the time. It’s reflected in her personality. She is not into music for its fame, she doesn’t create albums to sell millions of them, she doesn’t stand on stage or have a photo shoot done in order to have her ego boost. Thea is into music because she loves it, she creates albums because she loves it and she’s on stage to share what she has created with likeminded people. Surely this is what music is about, the tradition of music is to share and to involve, and as far as I can tell that is what Thea is all about too.

Grayson Perry

It’s now the 6th time I have had the pleasure of working with Grayson Perry. And this time it was so good that I did it twice. This shoot with Grayson was looking at the issue of identity. He’s presenting the program for Channel 4 on the issue of Identity as well as curating the exhibition on the same theme currently on at the National Portrait Gallery. What better person to ask about identity than the Turner prize winner, also known for occasionally cross dressing. The series has come off to a great start and is well worth the watch.

The idea for the shoot was to shoot Grayson on two different days with comparable poses. One day dressed as Claire and the other as Grayson. The issue with this is of course to try to get the light to be the exact same and exact same but mirrored. It was never to be 100% accurate but I like the small differences as well as it makes it slightly more genuine and reveals that the images are not just ‘flipped’.

My previous shoots with Grayson (http://palhansen.com/index.php/whos-that-girl/) have all been different. I have to admit that when I first met Grayson I was not sure what I thought of him, but like the best music, the best food, the best art and the best friends I have - they warm to you more and more each time and eventually become one of my favourites.

Sir Peter Blake

Sir Peter Blake is the English pop artist best known for his design of the Beatles album cover Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band - one of the most iconic album covers ever made.  We were invited to his studio in Chiswick to take his portrait.  
Tucked in behind a garage on a residential street was a small door leading into what was an amazingly impressive collection of everything!  the name hoarding would not do it justice as every item in the studio had character, history and said a little about who this Sir Peter Blake is.  At 80 years old, he sat in the only room that was not filled with collectables. We shook hands and then his assistant proceeded to show me the rest of the studio. Sir Peter Blake's assistant started by showing me his desk which was the backdrop of one of the shots.  As we ventured in to the many small rooms in the old gallery space, we discovered room after room filled with all kinds of items. Lots of Elvis paraphernalia, pictures of boxers, dolls, railway tracks, ethnic items and many more things. I felt a little like I was walking into the set where the first innocent and nice Gremlin was discovered and bought in the film 'Gremlins'. What better place could there possibly be to shoot Sir Peter Blake?  The place was a perfect reflection of what Sir Peter Blake's work is all about. The studio was a collage of items - all logically placed for Sir Peter Blake whilst a bystander might find it hard to see the logic in the filing.  It was a museum without the displays. The man himself was a modest, kind and knowledgeable man who showed great passion and affection for every item in his studio.  As if every item played an important roll in order for the studio to function - it was just like every person, item, flower and instrument paid an important roll in 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album cover in order to make it the iconic cover we all know today.