Boy George

Boy George and his music takes me back to the 80’s and my teenage years. Since then George has made many more headlines, but unfortunately not always for the right reasons. The 30 years proceeding his success with the songs ‘Karma Chameleon’ and ‘Do you really want to hurt me’, George has experienced some real low points and it’s all been documented. But now he is back; looking good and sounding like his old self. His new album is getting air play and feels a lot like George and his photography, (because he is now also a photographer) is looking pretty good too.

I suppose I was expecting a man that was a little cagey and protective when I turned up at the studio that winter’s morning, but instead I met a cheerful, nice and fun Boy George. He seemed like a new man who’s back to follow on his success from the 80’s, skip everything between, and is most probably going to manage to do so in style. A very nice man indeed and fun to shoot. He turned up readily made up and – as he said himself when I tried to get some natural reactions from him during the shoot: “I don’t dress up like this to look natural”.

Chris O'Dowd

Chris O’Dowd is truly the man of the moment. These images were taken just before his series ‘family tree’ was broadcast – a series that relies heavily upon improvisation and leaves you with belly ache from laughter, often based on cringe worthy moments. Now Chris is also co staring with Nick in the film Cuban Fury, he’s making it big in the US and we are bound to see and hear a lot more of Chris in the years to come. A writer, a performer and a genuinely funny guy.

Beady Eye

Once again I had the pleasure of collaborating with Craig McLean. This time it was to shoot Beady Eye. The band formed in 2009 and many of the members are old Oasis members, Liam Gallagher being the most renowned of them. I don’t worry too much before going to shoots anymore, but this time I was slightly apprehensive – I did not want to be on the receiving end of Liam if he decided that I was a ‘prick’!

All band members turned up early. My first thought was ‘what’s happened to rock’n roll??’ – surely they should keep me waiting for at least 3 hours before they turn up red eyed and stinking of booze. The guys were as friendly as they come, all amicable and willing to play game. Liam was maybe the one with the fewest words, but if he had been my best mate from the word go then I would have felt a little hard done by, as if all that media exposure was a load of bull.

The shoot took place at a studio and after that we headed up to the rehearsal studio where I got the chance to stand face to face with the man, Liam, himself. Only when I was 10 cm away from Liam’s face whilst he was singing ‘Flick The Finger’ did I feel that I could get a slap in the face, and probably deserve it.

James Corden

The James Corden shoot took place at an abandoned jail in South London. We wanted to shoot in a jail to provide a visual connection to his new TV series “The Wrong Mans”, where James Corden (Phil) and Mathew Baynton (Sam) get caught up in a criminal conspiracy.
My wife is Welsh which means that I am a big fan of Gavin and Stacey by default. The character Smithy (played by James) was seen along with other characters singing cheesy ballads whilst driving along. "Life imitating art" James had brought his own play list and was singing along whilst changing into his outfit for the shoot.
James has now become a much loved character, presenting shows such as the Brit Awards, playing the main character in Broadway hits and writing, producing and playing in TV hits such as Gavin and Stacey.

Helen McRory

The shoot with Helen McCrory was to take place at the end of a press day, after other shoots and interviews.  Never ideal as the sitter is usually late and exhausted.  This was no exception as far as timings were concerned, and as it was on my son’s birthday I was getting fidgety.  But, this was an exception as far as energy levels were concerned.  Helen turned up, apologetic for being late, polite, full of smiles and a bundle of energy. She had thrown a curve ball and won me over again within seconds of meeting her.
Helen is about my age, a mother of two and it is hard to imagine that she has ever been sexier.  She has that sexy attitude that only comes with confidence due to experience and a classic beauty to back it all up. 
Helen is an award winning actress and has played in films such as James Bond Skyfall, Harry Potter, Hugo and many more films and theatre productions.  She is married to Damien Lewis, which gives her some kind unspoken respect and acceptance amongst us gingers.  She is after all now a part of the ginger revolution.
It is nice when you leave a shoot and feel a lot has been contributed to it from all parties.  This was one of those shoots – Helen came, gave all she could to the shoot, was friendly and modest and we all left feeling good at the end.

Eddie Izzard

Whether you like Eddie Izzard or not is not the issue, but how one cannot admire Eddie is beyond my comprehension.  For many, coming out as a cross dresser may be a struggle big enough in itself to call a life struggle, but for Eddie this is just one of many battles he has won.  In fact, I’m not even sure he ever considered it a battle or an issue in the first place.
So where does one start with Eddie?  I suppose I first heard of him as a comedian, and this is where he first made his name. A rambling, stream of consciousness style of comedy that’s won him awards and made him a big success in the UK as well as abroad, especially USA.
Then there is the acting.  Having acted in films such as Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen, The Chronicles of Narnia, Valkyre and more puts him in the company of a-listers.
We could stop there and think that this is a man who has achieved a lot in his life.  A retirement after such achievements would with almost 100% certainty give his house a blue placard “Eddie Izzard lived here” when he eventually leaves us for good, (which will surely be at a world record age of 123 years old knowing his stamina).  No – this just isn’t good enough for Eddie – at the age of 47, with only 5 weeks training and no significant prior history of running, Eddie completes the task of running 43 marathons in 51 days for Sports Relief.  An amazing achievement in anyone’s book. 
This year Eddie started his world tour entitled Force Majeure which will run through to 2014.  Many comedians complete a ‘World Tour’ but Eddie is including foreign speaking countries like France – where he amongst other locations performed in front of a full house (2000 Parisians) in French – and KICKED ASS!!!
Not only is he the first non-native speaker to complete a tour of France in French, but he has done so with no prior knowledge of French apart from what he deliberately set out to learn the last couple of years.  The tour will continue to all continents, 25 different countries, and he now claims that Spanish and German are the next on his list…
 ‘What next’ – I hear you say?  For most people that would be more than two life times worth of achievements – but for Eddie???  No – we can now look forward to him running for London Mayor in 2015.  There may be some that do not agree with some of his political views, some that feel that a cross dresser or a comedian cannot represent London but I think I think I speak for most of us when I say:  A man who can achieve so much for himself can only be good for London.  Imagine where London can be with Eddie behind the steering wheel.  Roll over Ken!  Roll over Boris! Here comes Eddie!!!

Bobby Womack

When I heard that Craig McLane was going to interview Bobby Womack – I immediately tried to get involved.  When else would I get to meet a soul legend of that calibre?  The man behind the awesome tune 110th Street, which made both the entry and exit scene of Tarrentino’s Jackie Brown film. He was what is great with the 70’s look. Big on glasses and ‘big collar, big flares” suits. Now he just radiates ‘cool’ in a more casual attire, but still with a repertoire of glasses to hand. 
In the lobby we met up with Bobby’s right hand man. About the same age as Bobby and they’ve worked together for years. He crossed the lobby floor giving everybody ‘the fist’ with a touch of respect. He introduced himself as Arthur and continued by saying he was the new James Bond. Not only would he be the first coloured James Bond but he would also be the first James Bond over 60 years old. Why not!?
It was in a small hotel room in Kensington the shoot took place. I managed to squeeze the backdrop in between the bed and the mirror. Bobby himself is out promoting his new album. His voice is as soul-full as ever but this time it seems to exuberant experience. The music is new and fresh and in some tunes he has collaborated with great and contemporary names such as Lana Delray.
Just before the shoot I was given the CD and on the artwork is an image of Bobby’s hand with a double-jointed thumb.  I asked if he was up for doing it for me and he was happy to play along.  A truly multi talented man ;-) - young at heart, playful and full of groove.
 It is impressive to see a man doing so well, still moving on and trying to explore new boundaries in what he loves, after having lived through the death of two of his sons at a young age, drug addiction, diabetes, pneumonia, colon cancer and is now in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 69. In fact, he is not only enjoying what he is doing but he is still a great success at what he is doing. Although the big collars and flares have long gone, the shades – not quite as grand as 40 years ago - are still there. The future is still bright…..

Sinead O'Connor

Sinead O’Connor rose to fame with her version of Prince’s song ‘Nothing Compares to You’ in 1990.  A song that still sounds as powerful as it did back then and with a video to accompany it that carries as much of a punch as it did in the 1990s.
For those of you who are not familiar with Sinead’s video of “Nothing Compares to You” – it is a video close-up of Sinead’s face singing the song.  Her piercing eyes turn to a teary sadness as the song moves to its final cords.  Sinead’s shaved head and beautiful eyes presented us with a non-traditional beauty that has later become fashionable.
Sinead still has the same beautiful eyes but somewhere deep down there are now traces of life experience and passed troubles.  She has carried the banner against women’s suppression in religion, opposed other religious opinions, fought against war and child abuse and fought for her right to become a Rastafarian amongst many things.
Sinead created controversy when she in 1990 was ordinated as a priest despite being a woman with a Roman Catholic background.  Her traumatic upbringing in the Catholic religion has been evident in her actions, describing the Vatican as “a nest of devils”.  She is also known for having sung a version of Bob Marley’s song “War” where she altered the lyrics to protest against sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.  She tore up a picture of the then Pope, Pope John Paul II while singing the word ‘EVIL’.
Sinead’s life has been a life of uphill struggles.  From having been at the notorious Magdalene Laundry as a teenager to having raised a flag against the sexual crimes that have taken place behind the Roman Catholic’s closed doors, to fighting for female’s rights, lesbian rights, against war and child abuse – all before it became a media trend to do so, she’s now come out from a dark place and is trying to re-establish herself as a much loved artist in music.
I can’t help to think that her movement to Rastafari is an escape from the institution of the Roman Catholic Church into something which is considerably less institutionalised and more about individualism and the higher self. 
It is impossible to describe what it meant for me to work with Sinead O’Connor.  My feelings were a mixture of an element of fear as I know she is opinionated and the axe could possibly turn in my direction but mostly a feeling of respect for someone who has dedicated her life to fight for what is right although it means you face a life of opposition.  But we also have to remember that Sinead is a musician, and a damn good one too.  The song “Nothing Compares to You” has of course gone down in the history books, but she has been recognised for many other songs and musical collaborations and at the moment she is performing for smaller audiences at churches around the country and abroad.  The concerts are small and intimate and are supposed to contain all the emotions and power that you can possibly imagine.  To not shed a tear is not an option… 

Forest Whitaker

Some times you get that commission to photograph someone who’s work you admire and whom you think is genuinely interesting.  Many times, you walk away disappointed and with a distaste for whatever you did admire them for in the first place.  However, once in a while, someone who comes across as truly talented and nice is actually just that.  One of my favourite actors, Forest Whitaker, is as nice as they come.
Forest made an appearance in London when he was hosting a charity event for PeaceEarth Foundation.  The charity work is aimed at supporting children in war and giving child soldiers an education so they can have a different future than that of the ‘gun’.
Forest is known for his great portrayal of characters through recent history.  Most memorable is his portrayal of Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker and Idi Amin.  The latter gave him a great understanding of the conflicts in war-ridden African countries, which has in return made him want to make a change for the better. 
So what is it about Forest that makes him such a great actor.  He does extensive research and he has an incredible way of understanding the subject he portrays.  An exceptional method actor if I ever saw one, who seems to have a genuine interest in his fellow man.
So – if I at some point become interesting and famous enough for someone to make a film about me, my next life perhaps, then I would hope that Forest would play the main roll – although I can see a few obstacles already….

Sir Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen is one of Britain’s best-loved actors.  He has won numerous awards both for his on-screen performances and for his theatre performances.
Sir Ian is someone I would associate with traditional acting but lately he has taken on the main rolls in more fictional adaptations of such Hollywood blockbusters as X-men, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit to mention a few.
When interviewed about his part in the film The Da Vinci Code on The Today Show, he was asked if he thought the film should come with a disclaimer that it is a work of fiction as many religious groups had requested, he replied:  "I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying 'This is fiction.' I mean, walking on water?  It takes... an act of faith. And I have faith in this movie — not that it's true, not that it's factual, but that it's a jolly good story."
The shoot with Sir Ian took place at his pub.  Not his local pub, but the pub he now is an owner of as he didn’t want to see it close.  A small, atmospheric pub not far from Canary Wharf, facing the river Themes.  I expected a man in suit or perhaps a man in blazer and a neck scarf to walk in the door but instead came a youthful Sir Ian McKellen in the door with a colourful shirt, blazer and a giant Koru pendant in the place of a tie.  Sir Ian came across as a gentle and kind man who was professional and obviously comfortable in his own skin. 

Slash

Guess who!?

 A perfect design in himself. He can be photographed in silhouette, from above, from below, just a small part of him in a shot and in many other ways – yet there would be no doubt of who is in front of the camera.  A legendary guitarist and a walking, talking visual logo!
I was given a guitar showroom to shoot Slash in. I felt that it was too obvious, too cliché and maybe lacked proper character.  So – having noticed the parking lot as I parked my car, I found this location to be a lot more representable for this image of cool.
He turned up in a car with blacked out windows, the only way to travel when you’re as recognisable as Slash. Nice and chilled, and when I said I was from Norway he started to educate me on my own country and the history of Norwegian Horror films. To be honest – I didn’t even know there were any Norwegian horror films. So – I take my hat off to someone who gave me the soundtrack to 1992 and will continue to impress with his music for many years to come. 

Javier Bardem

This was probably one of the shoots I was looking forward to the most this last year.  Javier Bardem has not only played in two of my favourite films of the last decade, “No Country For Old Men” and “Biutiful” but he has a look and attitude that commands good images. 
As far as I am concerned he’s one of the most versatile and one of the best actors around at the moment.  His looks demands respect, yet his charm makes you feel welcome in his company, which is why he is the perfect Bond villain. 
 The cat, a world map and a golden gun (made by me), were all subtle references to Bond villains included in one of the shots.   The problem was of course to keep this cat in its place, especially as time was short.
 As well as some more straight shots of Javier I also wanted an image paying homage to the iconic 'down the barrel of a gun' image at the start of the bond films.  

Harry Belafonte

I had the true pleasure of meeting the legend that is Harry Belafonte a little while back.  Everybody has heard of him and I am also very familiar with a lot of his work – but it was only when I did the research before the short that I realised what a legend he actually is.  Let's just say that if he was British he would surely be Sir Harry Belafonte by now.
The soft silky voice that introduced Calypso to the world.  “The Banana Boat Song” is a song that only needs to be mentioned in order for it to be stuck in the mind for the rest of the day.  “Come Mr Tally Man, tally me banana…..”  Everybody sing:  “Dayyyy-oooo!!!!!!!!”  However, not only has Harry Belafonte shown his talents through music but he served in the US Navy during the WW-II, he acted in his early days with Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis…. Belafonte was one of the most prominent campaigners for civil rights in the American South and has also been politically involved ever since.  all his accomplishments are too many to mention in a picture lead blog but the fact is that he is IMPRESSIVE!!!!
I jumped at the chance to meet and photograph the man, even if it was limited to a very small hotel room with no character and 5 minutes.  At the age of 85 he still smiles and is as charming as they come. Respect in every aspect!!!! 

Wayne Coyne

Wayne Coyne must be one of the most charismatic musicians out there at the moment.  Not only is his music a great experience in itself but his live shows are renowned for being experimental, fun and totally over the top. When I got the commission to travel to Belgium to photograph Wayne on the last leg of his tour I jumped at the chance.  It was bound to be a job rich with visual pickings.
We met up with him at his hotel in Brussels before we joined Wayne and the Flaming Lips on the tour bus to go to the festival.  A fairly non eventful bus ride.  I expected a party bus with a bar and loud blaring music, but it was more like a half empty National Express bus: Quiet and everybody keeping themselves to themselves.
Arriving at the festival we were met with a crowd covered in mud, and the ground looked like a McDonalds chocolate milkshake factory gone berserk.  Backstage at the festival was also pretty non eventful.  No one getting trashed on booze and drugs, no irrational behaviour from diva like celebrities and no skimpy dressed dancers and groupies trying to secure Wayne's hand in marriage.  Rock'n Roll behaving respectfully!
I have to admit that I did expect Wayne to be a tricky one to deal with.  It's often the case with big personalities.  But it ended up being a job of the unexpected.  Wayne was just a nice guy, up for a good time, game to go along with my ideas and suggestions.  It seemed to me that Wayne was not being precious about his extravagant stage show and music but creates his show purely to have a good time.
I was on the side of the stage during the show.  A great place to be to see the machinery that creates the famous Flaming Lips show.  However, photographing from the sideline was almost impossible as the crew were running forth and back with props constantly - distracting for a plain view of Wayne performing.
As the shoot drew to a close and it was time to leave the festival I made sure to thank Wayne for his time and contribution.  In reply Wayne requested last favour: "Make me look cool!" - in all honesty - he fulfilled this request all on his own.

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.  

Rio Ferdinand

 Footballers have got a bad reputation for being arrogant and I suppose that when I was given the job to shoot Rio I expected exactly that.  However, Rio was a real nice guy.  Ok - he didn't hang around to teach me how to do tricks with a ball, but we had a decent conversation whilst shooting at least. The restaurant was an up-class Italian restaurant that one can only imagine bursting by the seams whenever a Manchester is playing a home game.  Oh - and the food was pretty good too. The Center back for Manchester United has amassed 81 caps for England and has been a member of three FIFA World Cup squads.  He is now one of the best known players in the country as we've watched him grow as a footballer and man since his first appearance for a senior team in 1996.

Danny DeVito

"DANNY DEVITOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" When I got the offer to shoot Danny Devito I was over the moon.  As a portrait photographer you always compile lists of the people you most want to photograph.  Admittedly Danny was never on my list until the job came up.  As soon as I did get the offer I knew that he was of course up there amongst my "most wanted". My favourite Devito film is perhaps "Throw Mama Off The Train" but he has played in so many gems that it is really hard to name a favourite.  On top of this he has produced many films too, amongst them one of my all time favourites "Pulp Fiction".  This man can do no wrong!
A 20 minute shoot in a bland location was not ideal but it still gave me the chance to get a few good shots.  The problem was that Danny was so friendly and just wanted to chat.  Whilst all I wanted to do was to chat too I was rushing through the shoot to make sure I got all the shots needed and could walk away with shots that were nothing 'short' of my expectations.

Cillian Murphy

 She also co stars in a very sweet comedy series called Rev, where she is the wife of the Reverend. "Inception", "Batman Begins", "Cold Mountain", "28 Days Later" just to mention a few of his many achievements. But this Irish guy was far from cocky and full of himself.  He was both quiet and modest with a healthy dose of Irish charm. He is now performing on stage at The National Theatre.  A play I believe has made him wear a modest beard - A look I think becomes him.

Olivia Coleman

A well-known face and a genuinely lovely person.  Olivia Colman is making all the right moves at the moment. She got mentioned in Meryl Streep's Oscar's speech, which is surely almost the same as winning the award!  She also co stars in a very sweet comedy series called Rev, where she is the wife of the Reverend.

Pelé

What can I say?!  A legend!!! But in typical Pele fashion it was a 3 minute shoot from entry to the room, and the room was covered in 'Pele' branding.  A few shots as I entered the room, a fast look around to find two backgrounds that could work without too much branding.  All I needed now was that classic Pele smile.