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
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
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
Daniel Fletcher is one of the most prominent young designers around. This shoot was to photograph Daniel in his own flat with the patchwork patterns he worked on during lockdown. Daniel created patchwork clothes and blankets, using the offcuts from his other design. He even sent the material out to people with instructions of how to make to make it themselves if that’s what they wanted to do.
Such a nice guy and such a talent!
Shot for Observer Magazine
Dame Eileen Atkins, winner of a BAFTA, EMMy award and Olivier Award, was appointed the Commander of the Order of the British Empire and Dame Commander of the Order of British Empire. Now - how’s that for an opening sentence on your Wikipedia page?!
The thing about Eileen (and yes - I was told to drop the Dame when I spoke to her so I continue on a more casual first name basis here too), is that she is so casual and pleasant to deal with. Her place, a wonderful and charming house in the West London, is a long way away from where she grew up, as the daughter of a meter reader in Tottenham. She had that charm that comes with the more senior generation of the British acting world. There is a relaxed attitude there, a playfulness. I have seen the same in many of the British traditional actors and actresses. They started acting because they loved the work, not to become famous, and the joy they feel due to living the life they have always wanted to is worn on their sleeves.
Eileen was 100% lovely! Fun, charming, natural and playful - all at once. She has just released her autobiography (up to the age of 30) and I bet it will be a great read. Just seeing the pictures from her young days which are in the book is great fun.
Shot for Observer New Review
I had the pleasure of working with Elif in her house. A place with an amazing living room where her office desk is too. Elif is from Turkey and has written books like The Bastard of Istanbul, The Forty Rules of Love, Three Daughters of Eve and 10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in This Strange World. Her literature touches on political issues, women’s rights, minority rights and freedom of speech. Her political voice addresses issues around Turkish and European politics, democracy and pluralism. Dealing with topics such as child abuse and Armenian genocide means she has made dangerous enemies. A brave writer, yet not someone who comes across as being paranoid or threatened.
Shot for Observer New Review
First time I worked with Rav was for a mothers-day shoot. I was commissioned to photograph her, her mum and her grandma in one shot. When they turned up I did not only meet very nice, fun and friendly Rav, but her mum and grandma were great characters too. Such a great trio! I have to admit that there was a slight language barrier between Rav’s grandma and me - but somehow the humour and a sense of understanding each other was definitely there.
So - it was with great pleasure that I received a commission to photograph the trio again. This time to coincide with Rav’s new book release - as well as the celebration of light day, Diwali. Rav had also brought some friends over to help enhance the feeling of festivity.
In order to give an impression of us celebrating Diwali - I wanted to create a dark and atmospheric room with candles and food decoration. I was sent props to use and the shoot was to take place in Rav’s place. I was given 2 hours to setup and shoot, but Rav was happy to extend the time a little when I got there. 2 hours was tight, but especially as I got there to see a 3 meter diameter glass dome above the room we were shooting in, and it was a bright sunny day. One thing is to expose the daylight away with flash, but I also needed to bring some atmosphere out with the candles. I took what blankets I had, ripped off the paper backdrop and got ready to cover as much of the glass dome as I could. However - the glass dome was 6 meters above me so the only way to get to it was to climb through a tiny window, in the top end of Rav’s bedroom window, to get to the roof. I am already not a very flexible with my almost 2 meter height, seeing me climb through that window was a sight to behold. (I never knew I could get my knee behind my ears - a move I had to perfect to get out.). I covered what I could of the window and got on with setting up the grand Diwali celebration table with the props I had. We managed to create a setting that had some of the intended atmosphere. Rav’s friends and family were not only lovely to work with, but managed to look and act relaxed and festive.
Rav comes across as a nice and friendly person when on TV. Having met Rav on several occasions now, I can truly vouch for her being the friendly, fun, and a sparkly, kind person. Having met her friends and especially her family, also gives a depth to understanding who Rav is, and she is exactly as you would hope from seeing her on TV.
I hope to work with Rav again, and if her mum and grandma is there too then that’s a-ok with me. Maybe next time we’ll get them all posing as Charlie’s Angels. I can especially see Rav’s grandma Biji getting into that…
Shot for Waitrose Food Magazine
The Guardian Weekend Magazine has just had a redesign and relaunched under the new name Guardian Saturday Magazine. With the new redesign they have introduced the weekly feature ‘Flashback’. This weekly feature is about celebrities contributing a picture from the old days and they tell a story about that picture and that time in their lives. I have been been commissioned to do most of these shoots and so far it’s been very challenging but also really fun. Here are the first 4 shoots in the series that I have been involved in, with the help of Andie Redman who is responsible for the props and set:
Sophie Elis Bextor and mum Janet Ellis
Pepsi and Shirley
Sindhu Vee and her dad
Jamie Lang
Shot for The Guardian Saturday Magazine
I have too admit that the introduction to this trip to Padua didn’t bode well for an amazing meal. We rocked up to a roadside hotel on the side of a semi industrial district of Padua, Sarmeola di Rubano, at about 11pm. The hotel, only a few hundred meters from our final goal and objective of the trip, the acclaimed restaurant Le Calandre. The hotel had closed and we had to call and wake up the staff to come and let us in. There we were met with a hotel that felt like Miami Vice on a budget. I eventually got to my room quietly hoping that the Le Calandre, a couple of hundred meters down the road, would be considerably better.
When I first saw the restaurant from the outside it didn’t look like we were up for much of an improvement. The restaurant entrance and windows looked good, but the building looked more like a mix between a South of France building estate and an industrial warehouse. However, as soon as we walked into the bistro that is in front of the restaurant itself, we realised we were somewhere special. Le Calandre restaurant is run by the two brothers Massimiliano and Raffaele Alajmo. Max (Massimiliano) is the chef and took the restaurant in 1992 and took it from one to two Michelin stars in 1996, making Max the youngest ever chef to get two Michelin stars at the age of 22. At the age of 28 Max gained the restaurant its third Michelin star, making him the youngest ever chef to get that accolade. The restaurant has maintained its three Michelin stars ever since and Chef Alajmo has been given the nickname “Il Mozart dei fornelli” (The Mozart of the stoves).
The restaurant is a family business run by the two brothers Max and Raf. The adjoining bistro is run by their sister Laura. The restaurants were previously run by their parents Erminio Alajmo and Rita Chimetto. The family now run several of Italian and international restaurants as well as having a bakery section that supplies food to external shops, bistros, restaurants and cafes.
So - when a chef like Max, receives me with open arms and insists that it is a true pleasure to be photographed by me, then it is a true sign of his humility and generosity. We did not only get to eat the taster menu at Le Calandre, which was exceptional! - but we were also invited to dine in the Bistro and their new restaurant on St Mark’s Square. For the latter we were transported on a wooden speedboat, not unlike what you see in a James Bond Movie.
The restaurants run by the Alajmo family do not only provide excellent food, but also an experience that makes you smile and laugh, makes you excited and stimulate all your senses. So - to call Max the Mozart of the stoves may be an understatement.
Shot for Cook Magazine
Having grown up in Norway, I have to admit that Rugby has never been on my radar. However, having married a Welsh woman, the game came as part of the parcel. I still have a hard time getting my head around all the rules, but I have started enjoying watching the game. I also admire the physicality of the game. The men and women who play the game sure aren’t afraid of a few bumps and bruises.
Gareth Thomas is welsh by name, and welsh by game! Yes - one of the most well known and respected Welsh rugby players. Not only has he shown guts and courage on the pitch, but he has also been open about his sexuality and having been diagnosed as HIV positive. Gareth has had guts to come forward writing books about his experience, his sexuality and his diagnosis. This shoot was for Gareth’s last book, a frank tale of his own life and experiences.
This shoot took place at a golf club in Wales. We had the changing room to our disposal. Gareth, was as fun and kind as you’d hope he would be. It’s a characteristic I find many of the rugby players have photographed are not brash or arrogant, but friendly and forthcoming.
Shot for Penguin / Ebury Press
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
It’s not every day you get an invite to Elton’s fairytale mansion. Of course, the invite would have been a little more special had it been an invite for lunch, but I’ll settle for an invite to photograph Elton in his place. It is however really unfortunate that we are in Covid times, as the restrictions on where we could shoot meant we were could only shoot outside. I can only imagine how dazzling the inside of his house would be.
Elton is helping promote the artist John Grant, so the shoot was of the two together. Not much time and restricted to one setup, but we managed to get a backdrop up, battle the summer breeze and plow through the summer heat. Admittedly my face mask at the end bore proof of the heat and the rush to get it all done in the allocated time.
It was a shoot with tinted sunglasses, Gucci outfits and Talk-Talk T-shirts, Rolex watch and Doctor Martin boots.
Elton was friendly and professional. He knew what was expected of him. John was genuinely humble, kind and lovely to work with. Next time I hope to get to shoot them individually. Not just one frame on a 10X8 analogue camera (which I managed to squeeze in) - but two whole shoots with them individually. But as I started off saying - with Elton you take what you can get.
Shot for the Observer New Review
The comedian Phil Wang is now publishing a book and his live performances are on Netflix. Life is surely good for Mr Philly Philly Wang Wang! (The idea behind this shoot was to have Phil in the spot light on stage. The man of the moment! We found a small, rundown church in Camden. I brought the spot and the smoke machine and set up so we could see the beam of light on Phil. That is, just after I had found the 5 smoke alarms, dismounted them and hidden them all outside in the bushes to avoid them going off.
Phil was a nice guy. Quiet maybe, but I think he’s openly claimed to be quiet and a little introverted. In fact - that is part of what he’s about. It’s a part of what makes him funny. I find people like me more and find me funnier too - the more quiet I am. Go figure?! (According to my youngest son, I’m the least funny guy in the world. It doesn’t stop me from trying and it’s a badge I carry with pride.)
Shot for Observer Magazine
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
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
I have now worked with Philippa on 5 separate occasions. I’ve photographed her with her husband Grayson, with her cat Kevin, with tears in her eyes leaving the screening of Toy Story 3 (and who did not shed a tear in that one???) and a couple of times on her own. I hope Philippa doesn’t mind me saying that working with her is more and more like working with a friend. Not only has she got her look down to a T with her colourful outfits, grey streak in the hair and colourful, thick framed glasses - but she genuinely just wants a shoot to be fun. She treats it like a playground, which is a refreshing and welcoming attitude to a shoot that is supposed to be uplifting fun.
Philippa is the new Agony Aunt for the Observer Magazine. Taking over after 20 years of advice to the British public from Mariella Frostrup. I have already sneakily asked Philippa for advice on a few issues when photographing her, and I have to admit, that if I was to write to someone to get advice on personal matters, then Philippa would be one of the first on my list. Her replies just make sense. I know that her role as an Agony Aunt for the Observer will be one filled with not only great advice, but also humour where and when appropriate. In fact - if we all write in and get some advice then I firmly believe that this world will be a little more colourful and brighter, as we all emerge from our homes a little more confident in our own decisions and insecurities.
So - take pen to hand, dig deep and get writing. Lets get Philippa working hard for her money!
Shot for Observer Magazine
Last time I worked with Steve and Nick Tidball was in Hampstead heath and they had just released a hoodie where you could zip up the front and enjoy total privacy. Great for when traveling and you just want to be left alone. This time the twins, founders and directors of Vollebak, are back with the Full Metal Jacket. A jacket made of 11km of copper and used as a disease repellant jacket. Yes - copper has the ability to sterilise and was used to do exactly that in ancient civilisation. Apart from copper’s ability to kill bacteria it also has the more well known characteristics of conducting heat and electricity. These guys are taking aim at space travel and a futuristic world when they make this jacket. ‘Ah - but you have to walk like an armoured Roman soldier from the iron age’ - I hear you say?! Well - no. It’s actually flexible and totally user friendly. Yes - it does have a ‘comforting hug’ like weight to it - but it is 100% practical as well as soft, malleable, highly waterproof, windproof and breathable. What’s not to like?
Shot for Observer Magazine
You do not have to be around in the 80’s to know Tiffany - but it helps. I remember her biggest hit very well, as it was a big hitter just as I was in my most impressionable age. Well - she’s back! Or, has she always been back but just not on my radar?
This shoot took place at a rehearsing studio in Brighton where she was rehearsing with her band prior to a UK tour.
Shot for Observer New Review
Slowthai is the kind of subject that is a real treat to shoot. Maybe not at first glance, but as soon as you have him in front of the camera you realise his ability to give you his all. He brings both humour and attitude to the images. He is Rap, punk and rock at the same time. Short hair and expressive eyes. He’s a bit like how I would have expected Johnny Rotten to be 40 years ago, but I’d hazard a guess that Slowthai is more approachable and friendly.
Before this shoot I took some time to catch up on Slowthai’s music videos. It was evident that he put a lot of emphasis on imagery and humour. When I got access to his studio, a warehouse/storage unit style building in Northampton, we saw many of the props that were used in his videos. As this was to promote Slowthai’s new album, we steered away from this, and found an empty shell of a room a little further down the hall. Dusty, shelves half destroyed, old sofa and chairs and some doors off the hinges, I immediately fell in love with the location. We started the shoot here before continuing onto an estate-style square with boarded up shops not far away from the studio.
Such a fun guy to work with - and his music and music videos, his creative talent and strong political voice is all to be respected.
Shot for Observer New Review
I met Hannah for the first time, over Skype in the end of the first lockdown in 2020. Hannah had agreed to take part in my personal project Rear View Window, photographing people in isolation due to Covid, from around the world. I instantly warmed to Hannah. She has one of those personanilities that instantly makes you feel welcome, even if she is 500 miles away in the north of Ireland, and not there in front of me in person. We spoke a little about her great work as a musician and radio host, before I directed her around her house in Belfast. Her house was like a musician’s dream - filled with sound proof rooms, mixing tables, microphones , piano, harp and other instruments. The view was of the Irish sea. What’s not to like?!
It was such a surprise to get a message from Hannah a few months later saying that the Observer were going to do a feature on her and she’d asked her PR to suggest me to take the portrait for the feature.
A week later, Hannah was in London for a 48 hour trip, to record with an orchestra. One day was set aside for the shoot, but unfortunately London was in total lockdown, and the weather forecast was 100% rain. Oh!!!
Hannah and I talked, I suggested a few places where we might find some cover, but that were not very relevant to Hannah or her work. Hannah eventually suggested that we could get access to a music shop in North London called Audio Gold. Talk about a perfect venue! It had the retro recording equipment from the same period that Hannah sampled on her new album Fir Wave. As Hannah explains:
“The specialist library label KPM, gave me permission to reinterpret the original music of the celebrated 1972 KPM 1000 series: Electrosonic, the music of Delia Derbyshire and the Radiophonic Workshop.”
I turned up to the shop an hour before Hannah. The place was filled with second hand record players, amplifiers, speakers, vinyls and anything else you can imagine that has to do with music. It is a treasure trove for all music enthusiasts. A place where all your dreams come true, and the people who work there have the knowledge and are friendly enough to care. It was a perfect fit for Hannah. Not only is Hannah someone who is knowledgable about all instruments and how to combine them with technology, but her passion for all things ‘sound’ fits right in with the ethos of the shop. (And I managed to buy myself a vinyl of the live album Live at Carnegie Hall - Bill Withers - I love it!)
Hannah seemed like a good friend from the first word we spoke, remotely over Zoom. We’ve kept in touch since - and although we have only spoken a few times, it feels like I’ve known her for ages. Some people just make you feel at ease when you speak to them, and Hannah is just one of those people. Apart from the good news that Hannah has released the album Fir Wave - she is now also back on the air waves with her radio show Night Tracks - a show that gives that nice comforting feeling.
Shot for Observer New Review
