Clare Smyth

Clare Smyth is one of Britain’s best chefs.  Her restaurant “Core by Clare Smyth” in Notting Hill has three Michelin Stars and is one of London’s most sought after restaurants.  She has been named the World’s Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best Restaurant, been the Good Food Guide’s ‘National Chef of the Year’, She got a perfect score by the Good Food Guide. She’s won the Chef Award and she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire - to mention a few of her achievements.  Clare is basically “Da Bomb!”

This shoot was a cover shoot for Observer Food Monthly Magazine.  A real pleasure working with her and her restaurant.  

Shot for Observer Food Monthly Magazine

Naturists

The issue of being nude in a public space is still something most people would frown upon.  I grew up in Norway where, when on cabin holiday somewhere remote, we would sometimes just jump in the lake naked.  The women at the beach would normally not wear a bikini top and this was all normal.  (I would say that it is probably less normal for women to be topless in Norway now for some reason.  A case of being a Scandinavian child of the 70’s I suspect).  

The UK has become more relaxed on the other hand. Although being naked publicly is restricted to certain areas, often sections of a beach for example, it has become excepted by many as an alternative and acceptable choice.  This project, to photograph people who embrace nudity in public spaces, people had to be subtly covered up not to reveal anything.  I can of course completely understand it, as completely nude images in a non pornographic magazine, would be deemed as offensive to many.   However, the idea of covering up the nude body in order to show the freedom enjoyed by people who like to be nude publicly, is a little contradictory.  In fact, it was a conversation that came up in the beginning of this shoot with one of the naturists.  One man who took part rightly enough said that the idea of being nude publicly is to desexualise the body and enjoy it as something natural.  The body, in all its different sizes and shapes, should not be hidden.  Everyone should be proud of their unique shape and sizes.   However, when trying to cover up boobs and ‘bits’ (as we so politely refer to sexual organs,) we sensor it as it is something ‘sexual’, and therefor the message of being a naturist is further confused.  

However, this is not a battle I would win on a four portraits feature, so onwards and upwards.  The props were brought out and we started by shooting one couple - Fiona and Michael - at the nudist holiday campsite in West Sussex, one couple - Simon and Helen - in a garden like setting, an other couple - Jan and Alena - in a kitchen environment and lastly, in deepest, darkest Herefordshire, a girl - Beatrice - who likes to be nude alone, in the forest and fields near where she lives.  Glasses carefully placed, ping pong ball thrown in to cover a nipple, a tomato being cut on a kitchen bench to cover a penis, Apples in an apple orchard to cover both breasts and genitalia, I even tried (less successfully I have to admit) bubbles to cover up the nudity in a subtle way. 

Finally - how to create a feel and look when you work at different locations and are not sure what the weather will do. I decided to create a hazy summery feel to give the feeling of some 70’s style summer. In that way we would have consistency and a look that was appropriate throughout.

A fun challenge indeed.

Shot for You Magazine

Twin Gardens

Last time I went to Moscow I was about 16 years old. A very different place, but also a very different experience.  Back then I was young, on a trip with other international students and youngsters. This time I was on a trip for the Italian food magazine Cook, Corrier Della Sera to photograph the twin chefs behind the restaurant Twin Garden. Last time I probably ate crisps and cheap sandwiches, this time I ate exclusive Michelin star food and crabs with champagne.

The idea and process of traveling to Moscow is more intimidating and different than actually being there. Apart from a taxi service on the airport with drivers aggressively approaching you, trying to trick you into paying extortionate prices, (which can remind a little of traveling to a country that relies on tourism,) apart from the blatantly apparent class difference, and apart from the size of the buildings, Moscow actually reminded me a little of Norway.  It was a cold December week, but as there was no snow, it was dark most of the time.  People tend to wear similar outfits to what we wear in Norway - practical navy, grey and black winter clothes.  Although the architecture was grander than in Oslo - it had the same colouring and texture.  

We were well taken care of in Moscow by the team behind Twin Gardens. The Michelin star restaurant (19th best in the The World's 50 Best Restaurants awards) served up vegetarian taster menus (a first in Moscow?!) with wines made from Mushrooms, tomatoes, beetroot to mention a few. Although I have to admit that the wine is not the type I would enjoy on its own whilst watching a long film, the small tasters of it served with accompanying meals - worked perfectly.  Oh - and the tomatoes!  Grown locally on their farm Twin Farm - they were so tasty they even made the Italians give an impressive nod. 

Impressed by the restaurant in Moscow, we had a second day where they took us to their restaurant on the outskirts of the city. In the middle of a Luxury shopping mall - (and by luxury I meant LUXURY Russian style,) was the twin brothers Ivan and Sergey Berezutskiy’s second restaurant Crab and Wine.  This restaurant serves only crabs and wine/champagne as indicated in the name.  Here they had a large crab aquarium in the restaurant (as well as several filled aquariums with crabs in the basement).  The aquarium in the restaurant was probably around 2m tall and 8 meters wide. Here the guests could get a PS4 remote to control a claw, and pick their own crab using the remote (as if out of a James Bond villain scene in a James Bond film).  We were served 7 different types of crabs, on three tables pulled together to fit them all, and champagne to accompany.  An experience you’ll find hard to replicate.  

The chefs Ivan and Sergey were identical twins by looks, but were very different in behaviour. Sergey was the more introvert, softly spoken and didn’t speak much English, and Ivan was the opposite. (That Sergey also had the flue when we were there made it easier to know who was who when I spoke to them - not always easy when you don’t know them well).  They were extremely hospitable and introduced us to the modern and traditional Russia through food.  As many surprises as expectations were met.   

Shot for Cook