Massimo Bottura

There is nothing more inspiring than an enthusiastic Italian. It’s been proved to me time and time again. A true enthusiastic Italian has the ability to project his/her excitement, to involve you, and in the end you will feel as passionate about the subject as they do. Furthermore they have the ability to seem genuinely interested in you and your wellbeing, you walk away feeling that you have made a new true friend.  This is very much the case with Massimo Bottura. A warm and welcoming man with an enormous passion for food, art and life. The passion was reflected in a kind of boisterous behaviour, the kind of behaviour that us in Northern Europe have learned to control as it is of course not cool to show too much emotion and enthusiasm. 

I had the pleasure of spending 3 days around the Modena area with Massimo and the editor of OFM, Allan Jenkins. A little road trip to soak up where his inspirations come from and to get a feel of his childhood district.  

The greatest experience was of course to be able to dine at Massimo’s 3 star Micheline restaurant Osteria Francescana. His legendary dishes ‘5 ages of Parmesan’ and of course the world’s best Tortellini (undisputed) were like having ballerinas dancing on my tongue. But second to that experience was meeting a lady who has been working closely with Massimo since the beginning. An old lady who taught Massimo everything there is to know about traditional Italian cooking and helped keep him on the straight and narrow in those early days.  We had listened to Massimo tell us of her importance in his life for hours before we were eventually brought to her house, a stones throw away from Massimo’s first restaurant. To witness the closeness, playfulness and the warmth between them was enough to give all of us goosebumps, and dare I say a tear in our eyes. A feeling of envy for the Mediterranean way of being where emotions are being worn on the sleeves and a warm hearted tickle is a friendly gesture that’s made between people of any age as a gesture of affection, on display for everyone to see.

Alt-J

I remember hearing about the band Alt J a few years back. A genius name as it really get’s everybody thinking what it stands for and then trying it out on the keyboard (quietly hoping that it doesn’t erase all content on your computer for good). Buttons pressed, a slight sigh of relief as everything on the screen is as it was but at the same time a slight disappointment to find out that it only produced a small symbol which is not far from a capital A without the legs: ‘∆’

I then looked up what it meant and found out it’s a delta symbol meaning ‘change’ or ‘difference’. The name had again become something unusual and interesting, but maybe not destructive.

The guys have just come out with a second album and it is just as good, if not better than the first one. The second album is always the hardest one if the first one has succeeded but the 3 guys in Alt-J have managed to prove to us all that it was not just beginners luck.

They turned up at my office and the idea was to walk around Hackney for an hour or 2 before setting up for a possible cover shoot inside. The guys were fresh back from holidays and nice and relaxed. A kind of quiet before the big storm which we are now in the middle of, with Alt-J playing on all radio stations and playlists.

The idea of using paint for the cover shot came from seeing the artwork of the new album. The cover is a white cover with some primary colour paint marks on it. The guys were happy to play ball and we we had some fun with paint like we were all Tom Hanks in BIG. The guys didn’t hold back and gave it all.

Joe, Gus and Thom, the members which make up the band Alt-J were surprisingly different. It’s not a likely combination of guys but maybe that’s the magic, maybe that’s what makes Alt-J work so well. As the name indicates too - ‘difference’ is what’s made this triangle of guys into a perfect fit.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan is a girl that comes with a few warning signs. She has a reputation and has made a few mistakes through her time. I suppose this will always be a problem for a child star, there really is no place to hide as you are growing up, and therefore everything you do will become public knowledge. Unfortunate for Lindsay a few of her mistakes became world news and she developed a bit of a reputation due to this. I made plenty of mistakes growing up but fortunate for me I didn’t have the world press camped outside my house in Norway.

Marianne Faithful

It was a little sad to see Marianne at first when I arrived at her Paris flat.  When I met her 2 years ago she was up and about, whilst this time she was slightly less able after having broken her hip a while back.  However, my sadness was short lived as we were met with a sharp mind and quick witted woman with no punches pulled. The flat was new for Marianne and she hadn’t fully moved in yet. She’s been horizontal for several of months which she claims is the reason for her best album in a long time.  (It gave her time to think without interruption.) Francois, Marianne's manager who was also there at the time of the shoot, put the album on, volume up and Marianne’s coarse voice and protesting lyrics did give me a feeling of listening to an album from the 70’s that will last the test of time.  The blues was present both in her voice, lyrics and rhythm.  

When it was time to start the shoot Marianne asked, no - told me!: ‘Be fast and not to faff around’.  Her cane was present and although for many this would be a sign of a disability it worked the opposite way for Marianne.  The cane gave Marianne a stronger presence, a feeling of dominance - the exact feeling you get as soon as Marianne opens her mouth to talk to you.  When Marianne talks - you listen.  Not in a bad way but in an inquisitive, intrigued and fascinated way - for Marianne has many stories and a way of telling them that keeps you listening. The same goes for her last album, the lyrics are essential.  

Her most known album “Broken English” has her smoking a cigarette on the album cover.  Now she’s taken that image into the 21st century and replaced the cigarette with a vaporiser and the “Broken English” with a “Broken Hip”.  A wonderfully interesting woman.

Sinead O'Connor

Sinead just gets better and better each time I work with her. It’s a case of her building up trust as well as me understanding more of what Sinead likes and dislikes in a shoot. Working with Sinead this time again meant that we had more time for laughs and messing about which again is reflected in the images. It was also nice to see Sinead in a dress. Yes, this shoot gave me the chance to see a playful woman dressed to impress. This could be the real Sinead, the one she really is behind closed doors when nobody is expecting great statements and she does not feel she has to carry the cross for every suffering soul out there.

Courtney Love

Lesson 1: If you shoot someone who is a musician then check your playlist before you play it on a shoot!

Just as we were getting ready to shoot Courtney, setups were ready and Courtney was just about to walk into the set, Little Roy’s cover version of ‘Come as you are’ blasted out over the speakers. My play list mix of reggae, soul, rock had come to an unexpected end tune that I had not planned. My assistant gave me a look of slight worry - a little whisper and a nod later, he ran over to the stereo and changed tune…. Courtney walks in and I ask: “Any music preference?” Courtney replies: “Not Reggae!!!”

So the first setup with Courtney was a matter of getting used to each other. I tried the general chit chat and minor directions, but I didn’t feel it was getting me anywhere. A change of outfit and a slightly different technique meant a completely different story. I kept quiet, let David Bowie do the talking over the stereo. Courtney became herself, a moving target filled with strange and wonderful poses. It was more like a dance with Courtney than a shoot. No slow dance to end the shoot, but that’s maybe something that was best left in the 80’s.

Lorde

Lorde is truly the Pop sensation of 2014. She’s 17 and has taken the world by storm. She doesn’t seem to be the predictable product created by a producer to appeal to the main stream like so many young successful ‘musicians’ are. Lorde seemed to be a woman with strong opinions and self assured. Lorde is a ‘woman’ at 17, able to put images of herself online that contradict the photoshopped images published by certain magazines. She’s a teen with ‘warts’n all’ as they say. It was refreshing seeing that someone at that age could be so self assured, that someone of that age has become a celebrity for her mind and music instead of looks.

Having said that I was met by her body guard 30 minutes before the shoot. He had come to see the location, if there was a crowd he had to fight his way through and to find any emergency exits in case the Taliban or a couple of hundred 14 year old girls should hit the venue to capture a little of this teen sensation. I don’t think I have ever experienced security like that, but then again I have never photographed Michael Jackson or Obama. (Obama - if you’re reading this, give me a call).

The Seven Ages of a Chef

I love it when I get a commission to shoot a set of images that have a specific feel, a portfolio of portraits. So when Kit from the Observer called me about this specific story, to photograph a chef from each decade in the style of the Dutch Masters, then I jumped at the idea. We had it all nailed down, a date and time for each of the 7 chefs, Georgina in her 20’s, James in his 30’s, Anna 40’s, Giorgio 50’sRick 60’s, Albert 70’s and Joyce 80’s. Location houses, props and backdrops all sourced. Some images directly inspired by specific paintings and others more loosely inspired and influenced by the work of the masters. So it was unfortunate that on the day of the shoot with Mr Albert Roux had to call in sick. Never the less, the set of images that I was able to do felt complete and I was happy with the portfolio.

The chefs who did take part are all extremely dedicated to the art of cooking and their presence did make this set of images what they are. Everyone from the young and eager Georgina to the older, experienced and relaxed Joyce were all a true pleasure to work with.

Nick Frost

It’s now the 4th time I get the pleasure of working with Nick Frost. Every shoot has been a perfect collaboration and working with Nick has always been more like hanging out than going to work. He’s always up for a laugh and is great at taking my ideas and making them his own. As we wanted a taste of Cuba in these images to give a nod towards his new film ‘Cuban Fury’ the cigar was brought in. Having quit smoking only 8 weeks ago I felt bad asking him to puff on the Cuban Cigar but he happily obliged. In Cuban Fury Nick is a kick a** Salsa Dancer and is supposedly quite a mover in real life too. It may not be evident to us all but Nick has the sensitivity of Julio Iglesias and the passion and fury of Ché. Baile! Baile!!

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.