James O'Brien

It’s not long since I stopped categorising my newsletters.  One of the reasons I stopped was that some shoots just didn’t fit into my most common subject matters, and therefore got left behind.  For example, I sat on a folder with politicians and topical/political journalists without ever sharing these.  James O’Brien was one of those shoots - shot in September 2020, when the Covid lockdowns had given us a little breather to work normally again.  

This was a cover shoot with James O’Brien, the politically focused news radio presenter from LBC.  I first became aware of him around the time of the Brexit vote in 2016, and ever since he has become a cornerstone of reason in the conversation about Brexit as well as other politically news orientated causes.  

James turned up at the studio, forthcoming, friendly and modest.  That’s it with James - he’s a hard one to disagree with, but he’s always inclusive, open to listening and friendly.  People have called into his show only to be cut down by his masterful ability to argue his point.  However, he only cuts people off if their arguments are badly thought through or if they have been misled.  In fact, he always seems to enjoy a good discussion as long as the opposing argument is well founded. 

A second part of the shoot took place at LBC radio station in Leicester Square, central London.  Not the easiest place to rock up with 11 bags - especially as Covid restrictions still ruled and I was asked to come without assistant.  But nice to get him in his element.

Shot for the Observer Magazine

David and Dolly Baddiel

This shoot with David Baddiel and his Daughter Dolly was to support an article in the Guardian Saturday Magazine about social media and its addictive qualities.  David had made a documentary for the BBC talking about the issues.  His daughter gives the view of a young person and also someone whom has suffered from anorexia and other self esteem issues, fuelled by the pressures caused by social media.

Although we played with a shadowy representation of social media in these images, it was the more simple portraits that appealed to me the most.  It was evident that David and Dolly were very close and it was a pleasure to be a witness to the closeness between them.

Shot for The Guardian Saturday Magazine

Samuel West

This was my last shoot of 2020 and, as this ‘Christmas thing’ is quite an obvious seasonal, I haven’t had the chance to share it before now.

Samuel brought his chilli jam, something all his friends and family fondly receives every year. (He also gave me a jar and it was TASTY!)

Shot for Observer Food Monthly

Flashback

The Flashback series for the Guardian Saturday Magazine continues, and here are four of the latest shoots that have been published. My shoots replicate images of celebrities from their younger days.  

Here we have JLS, Sadie Frost with her mum Mary, AJ and Curtis Pritchard and Vick Hope with her mum Ade

Shot for Guardian Saturday Magazine

Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer

There are few actors I am more excited about at the moment than Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer.  Every role Stephen touches turns to gold.  He mostly plays serious roles, and the intensity and emotions he brings to the parts he plays, hit straight home.  The question with Stephen is; is it him that makes the roles he plays great? - or is he just great at sniffing out the great parts and can take them on with excellence?  Either one is a great talent, and either way still makes Stephen a great actor.  

And then Jodie - mostly known for playing Oksana Astankova in Killing Eve.  She’s still very young so there is no doubt that next time I photograph her, (and I do hope there will be a next time,) I will be able to reel off iconic films and series that she has played in like I am able to do with Stephen if I’m put on the spot.  One thing is for sure already, and that is that Jodi has a great ability to bring herself and character to her roles. 

They are now playing together in the Channel 4 drama ‘Help’, a series that deals with some of the issues that arose due to Covid.  Some may think that it’s too early to watch serious dramas about the social impact of Covid, but this is a gripping and touching drama that will appeal to many.  

At the end of this shoot I also managed to get a frame of 10X8 analogue portrait taken of Stephen and Jodie.  Unfortunately, (being the first time I have tried to do a shot of 10X8 with the time pressures that comes with editorial shoots, and only having two sheets ready to use,) the shot with Jodie had two misfires of the flash and didn’t come out.  However, the shot of Stephen was everything I had hoped for.  

Shot for Observer New Review

Isy Suttie

I knew Isy best for her part as Dobby in the brilliant sit com show Peep Show.  So before this shoot I thought I’d arm myself with some additional Isy Suttie knowledge.  She’s brilliant at combining music and comedy - one of the hardest things to do well in the world of comedy.  Some of her best live performances is exactly this - Isy with a guitar, armed with comedy gold lyrics.  

Isy was very sweet on the day.  The ideas I had came organically, using what I had to hand at the studio and Isy’s willingness to play ball.  We also lucked out as her Paul Smith top made her totally merge into a screen that was at the studio.  Nothing wrong with a bit of luck!

Shot for Observer New Review

Rafe Spall

A while back I did a shoot with the brilliant actor Timothy Spall on the roof of a car park.  A very different setting from this shoot with his son, Rafe Spall, in the slightly more slick Big Sky studios.  The rumour was that Rafe didn’t like having his photograph taken much, something I am used to, and is often the case amongst actors.  I had prepared for someone who wasn’t too keen on being there, posing in front of the camera.  I prepared by relying on colours to brighten up the shoot and creating settings that didn’t demand the talent to be hugely active.  However, who I met was a jovial, fun and relaxed Rafe -  Jokey and stylish.  Fun guy with the most perfect South East London accent.  (The kind of accent, that as a foreigner, I find cool and quintessential London.  The kind of accent you only have if you’ve got a pearly king suit to match.)

Rafe is acting in the series ‘Trying” - a light, fun series dealing with the difficult subject of trying for a child, but not succeeding.  In fact - it looks like the filming of a third series is in the pipeline, which is always a sign of a good series with great appeal.

Shot for Observer Magazine