Alan Davies has been on the scene for a long time. Known for his comedy, acting and for his determination to get it right on the panel show QI. Yes, Alan Davies is not only a funny man but also smarty-pants! However, the chances of getting Alan to pose with his mouth full of smarties in a pair of pants, (that’s the English meaning of pants for all you Americans out there,) were relatively small, so we settled for clever-clogs.
Katherine Ryan came into my consciousness as a guest on several UK panel shows. She supposedly came to the UK from Canada, to help set up a branch of Hooters in Nottingham. A one month trip turned out to be permanent and she’s now become a familiar face in the UK comedy scene and on British panel shows. She did a noticeable stint with ‘the Last Leg’ during the Paralympics in Brazil and the last thing I heard she was as a participant in ‘Fake News’ where she’d put out a false story about having had a Bum Lift that went wrong. The story was picked up by a few of the British tabloid newspapers which lead to her winning the Best Fake News story of the show.
Katherine is funny! There’s no ifs and butts about it (excuse the pun). Even her website serves as a simple but perfect gag for a comedienne. Check it out: http://www.katherineryan.co.uk
I haven’t been in the UK long enough to have soaked up the joy of Vic and Bob’s early days. Vic Reeves’ Big Night Out was one of the milestones of British TV comedy that was the making of them both. The other big show that was loved by many was Shooting Stars.
The two guys turned up at the studio where the shoot was to take place. The story was under the banner 25 years of Vic and Bob, although the 25th anniversary was delayed due to illness so it was more like a 27 year anniversary, but who celebrates that. So, we took two away from 27 and made it 25 again. Yeah! Let’s celebrate!!!! Bob was the subdued, slightly quiet half of the duo. The one in the background sorting out his car insurance between setups and quietly and modestly partaking where he had to during the shoot. Vic however brought fireworks and set them all off, in his pants. He jumped off furniture like a teenager and pulled faces like someone with botox could only dream of. I may not have been there back in the days when their names were shining in bright lights, but I sure got a good dose of Vic and Bob in 2016 and I liked it….
It’s the second time I have had the pleasure of working with the great Alan Bennett. The quietly spoken, intellectual and sharp witted playwright, screenwriter, actor and author is a British institution and proud Northerner. It was mid December and he was to make it on the Observer New Review cover. However, it was slightly worrying thinking that the Christmas cover for the New Review would be a cover with no hint to Christmas, no festive spirit or mince pies, so a halo was made and hung up at a suitable height, slightly behind where Alan Bennett would be standing so we got the indication without making him look like the angel on top of the Christmas tree. Admittedly, I thought he’d turn around and walk out the door when I presented him with the idea, but Alan was not fazed and happy to play along. So now, Alan Bennett is not only an Anglophile of sorts, (in the best possible meaning of the word,) dictating what is British as well as embracing a lot of what is British, but he is also an “Anglophile”. (Angelphile - noun: someone who has been made into an angel during a photo shoot by Pål Hansen).
2016 has been the year of icons leaving us and politicians stirring up all kinds of emotions. One of these politicians has kept many at the edge of their seats. He has made headlines, created likes (and dislikes) on social media and made many people cry and many laugh. Never mind Brexit and never mind the US election - Strictly Come Dancing’s Ed Balls should surely have been the man on Time Magazine’s front cover for “Personality of the Year”? Now a disco Lion, Tango Leopard or Salsa Tiger - Ed Balls has made the UK hum to the Jerry Lee Lewis tune “Ed Balls on Fire”. This is a man who’s come out of his shell and discovered what it is to have fun.
Sharon Horgan - she’s from Hackney innit!? Yea - I know, that Irish accent does not give it away. She only stuck around for 4 years before she packed up her parents and travelled to County Meath in Ireland to raise some Turkeys. (If you live in Hackney then you know we’ve all been there, dreaming of that life.)
Sharon is the hottest talent on the sitcom circuit at the moment. She’s best known for playing in and co-writing Pulling and Catastrophe. Both series having won several of awards. Now she’s back with a new series, The Circuit. Based around dinner parties, a backdrop perfect for uncomfortable viewing, hilarious moments and more if her previous work is anything to go by. It starts with some new neighbours having moved in and their first invite to a dinner at the neighbours. What a perfect setting for comedy, tension and some hard hitting truths no doubt. I’ll happily watch it unfold as best I can, with a TV dinner and a bottle of wine.
There are few people around the world who have not tapped their feet to a bit of Bee Gees. In my case, I’d go as far as having walked to the rhythm of You Should be Dancing with etc sound of my cord flares swishing to the beat, I have pointed to my belt followed by a point to the disco ball above on several occasions to the sound of Staying Alive, I’ve had collars so big that they slapped me in the face as I was moovin’ and groovin’ to Saturday Night Fever, I’ve tried to do the Jive Talking with little or no success and I’ve had teenage moments on the dance floor to How Deep is your Love, followed by a long journey home, feeling FOR SURE that I was in love. Who would have thought that I would one day meet the great man, Barry Gibb himself. We found ourselves in an Indian Restaurant not far from London. Barry Gibb’s favourite restaurant near his UK home. The interview that preceded the shoot involved a journalist who was looking for a ghostly aura around Mr Gibb with two metal sticks. Yes - this shoot was never going to be ordinary.
When I finally got Barry Gibb’s full attention I met a modest and friendly man. A man that seemed to be still buzzing from a recent performance at Glastonbury. A moment that would parr with some of his many big moments. This is a man who helped shape the fashion, music and style of the 70’s. This is a man who made hairy chests and open shirts sexy, he made skin tight flares the talk of the town and found a walk to match it. Yet - this is a man, that carried off being a man, yet having a voice 10 bars higher than the sweetest of angels. Barry Gibb did not only create timeless music that will always make people jump up on the dance floor, strut and stride, want to dance cheek to cheek and whispers sweet nothings…. but this man re-wrote the rule book of how to be a man. Respect!!!
Simon Pegg has become a big name but casual kinda guy. A man who’s seen enormous success but does not seem to be fazed by it all. No - Simon just comes across as everybody’s mate, even though you know that the day after he meets you he will be banging heads with Stephen Spielberg. Simon is known to us in the UK mostly for his Sci-fi comedies or as one part of a Nick Frost duo but on the other side of the atlantic we have seen him collaborate with Stephen Spielberg several times and worked on such films as Mission Impossible and Star Wars.
I’ve photographed Simon before but this time there was a noticeable beard present. It gave Simon a little of that east end hard guy look. A bit of a knuckle duster kinda guy! Good look I thought and a great addition to getting some images of Simon that were a little edgier than the other shots we see of Simon.
Simon is now ‘Scotty’ in the new Star Trek Beyond. The idea behind this shoot was exactly that - to beam him into the shoot, get the shot and beam him out again. Not only was this great in order to put Simon in the context of the article, but it also saved us a lot of money in Taxis and Simon the hassle of sitting in traffic. I only had to aim the camera at where Simon would be beamed in and press the shutter as he came shooting down. Beaming back up again was easier as we could count it down, NASA style. 5,4,3,2,1 BEAM-UP!
Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass - what a team! They’ve worked together to create the majority of the hugely successful Jason Bourne films. Paul Greengrass was also the director behind the very impressive film ‘Bloody Sunday’, which I have only just seen and been blown away by. Matt Damon’s accomplishments are too numerous to mention and also useless to list, as we are all aware of his talent. But in case you don’t know much about his sex life then you may want to watch this clip with Sarah Silverman, (from 2.15 minutes in if you don’t want to watch the whole thing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSfoF6MhgLA)
I have to say both Matt and Paul came across as really nice guys. Guys that liked a bit of banter. Paul Greengrass, also allowed for the shoot to exceed the 15 minutes in a hotel room, by a couple of minutes as the PR had given the ‘wrap it up’ queue. Now, that doesn’t happen a lot!
The new Bourne film is out and I for one will be looking forward to the action packed 90 minutes of big screen entertainment.
Ellie Rowsell, the punky girl from Wolf Alice and the cool chilled Father John Misty were my sitters for this cover shoot. An unlikely duo to shoot you may say, as they have never actually performed together, and when we met they had never even met. Their music is too different to be confused, but the thing they do have in common is that they are two Indy acts that rocked the music world in 2015.
Ellie turned up first. She was great to shoot, attitude in appearance with a soft and shy centre. (A bit like a Rolo.) Hard to imagine her ‘ripping it all apart’ on stage but having seen her and heard the music, I know that she has a lot to give.
Father John Misty turned up 20 minutes later, again a quiet man but with a more nonchalant appearance. (More of a Galaxy if we are to make chocolate comparisons.)
After a fast introduction the two of them had to appear as best friends, heads together, Ellie in FJM’s arms and so on. A second of uncomfortable body positions as they intrude each others personal space, (stand no closer than 8 inches I was told when I was first introduced to the cultural laws of the UK during International Student Week 20 years ago this year). They both adjusted to the close proximity of each other by treating the shoot as an act. After 15 minutes of the two of them together Ellie had to rush off to prepare for a gig later that day and I had the charismatic FJM on my own.
I was unsure how the shoot with FJM would go. I have seen him being interviewed and giving the interviewer a very hard time. Especially one where an excited German journalist asked FJM if he liked the German festival he was at. His answer was ‘No! I hate festivals.’ He continued to argue those points with very valid reasons, and although there was a feeling that this was humorous, deadpan at its best, there was no way the journalist could take this for granted. The Journalist was dumb struck. I am usually not worried about the questions I ask my sitters, but in this case I was aware that I could be left to ridicule when asking normal banter questions. 20 minutes later, the shoot was over and my dignity was still in tact. Phew!!!
I perceived the smile on Rob’s face as he walked in the room where the shoot was to take place, as a welcoming and ‘pleased to see you’ smile. We’ve worked together on 4 different occasions now and we have always got on. The thing with being a photographer is that it’s easy to get on before publication, but if the sitter doesn’t like what’s in print then the dynamics may change on the second shoot and trust may be lost. It is therefore I always look for tell tell signs as we meet for a second, third, fourth or fifth time. I got the distinct feeling that I was safe. Rob would not turn and walk out from disappointment of the previous shoot results. In fact, it only took a few minutes before he complimented me on the images from the previous shoot.
When we met Rob had one last performance of his 2 month run of the farce Painkillers. I expected a run down and exhausted Rob, but he was in top form. Filled with energy and quick witted comments. It was in fact the best I have seen him. More confident and more relaxed. Rob has performed in some of Britain’s best sitcoms in the last 10 years, he has presented panel shows, done voice overs, live shows and theatre. This is a man who can truly tackle all aspects of the world of entertainment and be much loved for his contributions. I look forward to the next time we stand face to face, to see what he will think of this set of images. Or do I?
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.
Ralph Fiennes is one of Britain’s best actors. Schindler’s List, The English Patient, The Constant Gardener, Harry Potter and now ‘M’ in the current James Bond series. These are just some of his award winning achievements on the big screen. His training is more Shakespearean and he has had just as many notable achievements on stage as on screen.
I will refer to Ralph Fiennes as Fiennes, because he has an aura that demands the respect of being called by his surname. Not due to unfriendliness, ‘au contraire’, he was in fact very friendly and nice, purely out of respect and curtesy to a man who deserves it.
My shoot with Fiennes was a short one, at a theatre rehearsal space in South London. He was rehearsing an Ibsen play at the Young Vic. He told me he had paid Oslo a visit to get the gist of where Ibsen might come from. I told him that I was about to head to a cabin, remote, no water and no electricity - and his face lit up. Yes, this was the kind of place I would highly recommend that he’d go to really get the idea of the traditional Norwegian mood. The darkness that Ibsen can portray comes form dark winters, remote and solitude places and closed in society with little external input. The seriousness of Ralph’s acting would complement this perfectly. His captivating eyes, stern and notable presence and the beard to top things off he will be able to will carry off any Ibsen play. For those of you who are curious and want to get ‘educa’ed!’, go check out “The Master Builder” at the Young Vic.
John Akomfrah was once described by the Guardian as someone who “has secured a reputation as one of the UK’s most pioneering film-makers [whose] poetic works have grappled with race, identity and post-colonial attitudes for over three decades.” Now that’s a quote I’d have framed in on my toilet wall. (Toilets and toilet walls are after all where all awards and diplomas hang.) Akomfrah was one of the founders of the Black Audio Film Collective. A group dedicated to issues around Black identity in Britain. Akomfrah later co-founded Black Dog Films and has been the governor for British Film Institute and Film London. His work has won awards and he has been instrumental in giving black identity a voice in Britain through film and art. His work can now be seen at the Lisson Gallery in London.
I met up with a ‘slightly under the weather’ Akomfrah at Black Dog Films’ offices in Hackney where he was finalising his latest work for exhibition. His most recent work is ‘the sublime seas’. “Fusing archival material, readings from classical sources and newly shot footage, Akomfrah’s piece focuses on the disorder and cruelty of the whaling industry and juxtaposes it with scenes of many generations of migrants making epic crossings of the ocean for a better life. Shot on the island of Skye, the Faroe Islands and the Northern regions of Norway.” That’s a lot of time hanging out up North - no wonder he had a cold when I met him….(sorry!)
I don’t know which is most impressive; to be a successful Oscar nominated actress or to learn how to speak Danish. Yes, Danish!!! (I am Norwegian and my language is supposed to be similar, yet my face still looks like George Bush at a Science meeting when I hear Danish.) Alicia is the supporting actress in the hugely successful film ‘The Danish Girl’. She was relaxed, energetic and fun to work with, not fazed by the imminent success. She is definitely one to look out for and will with no doubt be a house hold name, if she is not already. There is definitely a Scandinavian wave sweeping over Britain and now the big screen has got its Scandinavian queen.
I have never seen the Harry Potter series. In fact, it is one of the pleasures I look forward to experiencing together with my sons. However, Daniel Radcliffe is still someone whom I distinctively associate with as being Harry Potter. It must be a very difficult image to shake off when pursuing other work, especially due to it’s popularity all over the world. A double edged sword of sorts. However, I do feel that Daniel has managed to shake the boyhood image and become a respected actor in himself. Maybe it was necessary for him to grow a beard and shake the glasses in order to be considered for more adult and versatile rolls but the look suits him and gives him that handsome, mature look.
Being a child celebrity also tends to do something to a person. They often grow up with a different perspective of life and it becomes evident in their behaviour as adults. However Daniel is as grounded as they come. He is polite, modest and fun to be with. He likes a good laugh and does not want a lot of fuss made around him. Just as well as the location I had recommended for the shoot, (selected from images online provided by a location house company,) suffered from serious neglect and bad odour. The fridge door was opened at one point and a carpet of vintage dairy products laid over the house. I feel the consequences may have scarred the team for life, yet not a word of complaint from Daniel.
Daniel is now on screen as Igor in Victor Frankenstein, playing along side James McAvoy.
The moment I got the call about this job, (shooting Will Ferrell) I counted my lucky stars. A moment later I was told I had 5 minutes! My mind was baffled: I have so much I want to do! I have so much I want to talk about! How am I going to make Will my new BFF in just 5 minutes?
The shoot was well planned. I had a lineup of ideas that I was going to hammer through. The Christmas props were essential as the shoot was to be the cover of Observer Magazine’s christmas issue. I had 6 different christmas lights, one backdrop and a hotel room all set up. When Will walked in he was specific about the ideas he didn’t like much so the process of elimination was easy. We pulled a line of christmas lights through his ears and round his head. A strip down and a few tight close ups to focus on what Will is so good at, subtle expressions. A quick hand shake and that was it. The man did not give a lot, but he didn’t have to, what he gave was plenty!
With Bill Bailey, what you see is what you get. He is funny, has an expressive face, eyes that can at times look like they pop out of his head, musically talented and has a bunker in case someone should want to drop a bomb on Hammersmith. (Don’t all you paranoid Hammersmithians go flocking to Bill now to be his friend, I think the bunker will only hold about 3 people at the most.) Bill’s live shows have always been impressive in the way they are constructed, immensely funny, intellectual and wacky, so it was good to see that these characteristics are all represented in Bill as a person. His acts are in fact not really acts, but a projection of himself which is immensely reassuring. In fact, if I had to choose one item and one person to spend dooms day with in a small bunker then Bill and a keyboard would be good contenders. A touch of the ‘Cabin fever’ with Bill could actually work.
Magic is not what it once was. The David Copperfields, David Blaine or even Harry Houdini are far gone and fail to impress much in the modern world. There is still a nostalgic demand for this type of magic but todays tricksters of the mind seems somehow more advanced. It’s as if the current magicians have, as if by magic, removed themselves from the title of a magician and blended into a magicianal-illusionist-mentalist-trickster-hypnotist. Well, at least that is the case for one of today’s most respected MIMTHs (a catchy abbreviation I just made up) - Derren Brown. Oh - and he’s a painter and photographer too. I find Derren’s work intriguing. The MIMTH he does is of such a scale that it is incomprehensible and it makes you inquisitive. It’s not just a trick but a full act with a thread from the beginning to the end of a 1 to 2 hour long show.
So I was slightly nervous when I turned up on the shoot. I mean, if Derren wanted the shoot to move in a different direction then he would surely be able to do so. I would have to stare deep into his eyes (through a lens at least). The chance that I would walk away with all blank frames could easily have happened. I suppose he would only need to look into the lens for more than 10 seconds and I would be deep in some trance and in the palm of his hands. Maybe I was? What did actually happen on this shoot? Does anyone really know apart from Derren? I think I was there anyway and I think I took the images so I will remain the copyright owner… for now.
James Bond is out in the cinemas and in it we have the Irish man Andrew Scott. Andrew is best known for TV films, and has won a BAFTA but of late he’s been making it big on the big screen. One of his first big appearances on the big screen was a roll in Saving Private Ryan, but he’s now playing supporting actor in such films as the new James Bond film Spectre and Victor Frankenstein. All set to become big block busters.
There was something about Andrew when he walked into the location house we had for the day. He had that confidence, charm and the ‘camera loved him’ (to make use of a well used photography expression). There is no doubt in my mind that we will see a lot more of Andrew. Not only do many of the new films he is due to be released in star him as the lead actor (not the aforementioned,) but he’s a good actor and his face and character suit a good villain as well as a more fun and gentle caring man. Watch this guy but run fast if he sits next to you on a plane - he’s about to explode!!!
