Johnny Knoxville

The dude of dudes - Johnny Knoxville!!!  I personally think that a picture of Johnny in the dictionary next to the word ‘dude’ is appropriate.  

You know it’s a great day when you get to meet the man himself, even if we were restricted to a hotel room in Central London.

When I had the chance to photograph Knoxville, I thought I’d get to use some of my more edgy ideas - however, they were turned down ahead of the shoot.  So I livened up to the shoot with a few milder ideas that I hadn’t pitched up ahead.  Lastly, I left my iron, that I had brought to iron out a fabric backdrop, lying visible next to the set.  When I started shooting Johnny I suggested more things.  He said no to some of them, but came back with some crazy Johnny poses.  Then he spotted the iron and picked it up - just as I had hoped - Johnny continued by Ironing his bum and crotch - classic Knoxville style!

Shot for G2 

Joe Lycett

Joe Lycett is not only a funny comedian, but he has a great ability to turn the aggressors into victims.  Many big companies, parking enforcement offices, fraudsters and even the government have been on the receiving end of Joe’s sharp wit and ability to turn the tables. His latest letter was a fake leak of the Sue Grey report - the report that is supposed to shed light on the many parties held by the government offices during Covid lockdown. So - to show how Joe turns the tide around and make the aggressors the victim, I chose to have him photograph me whilst I photograph him.  I found that to be a representation of the kind of humour that Joe is known for.  I also wanted to create a setup that hinted to the Sue Grey/Partygate incident.  I had an idea of writing letters on balloons and having them turn into an anagram of, for example “Downing Street Party”.  However, the anagrams for this and many other things I tried weren’t really relevant.  In Joe’s fake report leak he referred to ‘Downing Street’ as ‘Down It Street’ - and this became what I tried to show instead.  By taking the ‘ing’ off ‘Downing’, popping the ‘g’ and turning the ’N’ into a ’T’ - Joe had successfully turned ‘Downing’ into ‘Down it’.  And the street balloons remained.  

Lastly, I just wanted to create fun, interesting and colourful images that didn’t have any concepts connected to them.

Joe was brilliant!  Fun, down to earth, easy to talk to and followed and contributed to my instructions.

Shot for Observer Magazine

Evanna Lynch

Evanna Lynch became famous through the Harry Potter series where she played Luna Lovegood - the best character name since Honor Blackman played Pussy Galore in a James Bond film.  She fit her character in the Harry Potter films so well that even JK Rowling has named her as her favourite, or at least most accurately portrayed out of the film series.  Since then she has made noticeable performances on stage and on screen. As well as becoming a prominent activist for animal rights and veganism she has also been a very important figure in promoting healthy self-esteem and body image for young girls, due to her own struggle with Anorexia Nervosia.  The latter was also the subject of her memoir published last year, ‘The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and Glory of Growing Up’ - for which I was commissioned to take pictures of Evanna to be used on the book sleeve and to promote the book. 

Evanna was such a dream to work with.  She was modest and softly spoken, kind and fun.  Working with Evanna was like working with a good friend.  A steady but easy pace, filled with interesting conversations about her experiences, success and struggles.  Talking about such issues as eating disorder from the perspective of having experienced it yourself takes enormous courage - and Evanna does this with brutal honesty.  

Shot for Headline Publishing

Kenneth Branagh

Sir Kenneth Branagh, a face and name known to most.  He’s won awards for his acting as well as his directing.  Now - with a film loosely based on his own upbringing in Belfast, he’s topping this year’s award nominations for his writing and directing.  

This shoot with Kenneth was done at the House of St Barnabas in central London.  Sir Kenneth turned out to be the real gentleman I was hoping he was.  Genuine, interesting, with a quiet and gentle demeanour.  It became evident to me that this film was truly something special to him. The way he was talking about the film and the way he talked about finding someone to play himself it felt like he had put his hart and soul into it.  Now that the awards season in upon us it is great to see that a film with such personal meaning from a director such as Kenneth has made it to the top of the nomination bill.  

Shot for Sunday Times Culture

Jason and Ivan Reitman

It’s not every day you get a call to ask if I’m interested in photographing the creators behind Ghostbusters: “We’ve got a shoot with the Jason and Ivan Reitman - and they’re bringing the ghostbuster car and a couple of Proton Packs.”  I know - it might not mean much to many of you, but if you grew up in the 80’s you’ll know all about the Ghostbusters, the Cadillac and the Proton Packs.  Ghostbusters 2, also directed by the original director Ivan Reitman came out not long ago, but this 3rd film was directed by Ivan’s son Jason.  So - there I was, in the backstreets of Soho with a couple of Proton Packs, (ghost busting guns for you who are not familiar with the films) in a hotel room and the Ghostbusters car in a small alleyway on the side of the hotel.  I picked the alleyway because of its proximity to the hotel but also because it had a city vibe - without giving away what city it was.  The first thing we found in the alleyway was a dead rat without a head.  Nothing like a headless rat to set the scene for a Ghostbusting experience.  (I did decide on cleaning this up before inviting the Reitmans over though - maybe a little too real for a Friday morning?!).  I managed to get a local office to open its doors for me to get some electricity to start up the smoke machine, brought out some gels and then prepped the car for the Reitmans to cruise on into the shot.  

Ivan and Jason turned up and I was ready.  I placed them in the car and shouted “smoke!”  No smoke came - and a look of panic spread along the photography team.  The woman who had let us use the electricity socket had unplugged the smoke machine without letting us know and left the building.  I started shooting whilst the assistants knocked on every door until they found a socket.  The images I had hoped for were now finally coming in.  

10 minutes later we had to rush up to the hotel room to get the Proton Packs shots.  I had prepped the proton Packs with lights and was ready to explore with long shutter speeds to get the laser beams working.  Consistency and authenticity was of great importance for Jason but we got there in the end. 10 minutes later, all ghosts were busted and the Reitmans could leave the building.  Phewwww.  All I now had to do was to pack my equipment down and dispose fo 15 ghosts stuck in my Ghostbuster trap and safely dispose of them in the Echo-Containment System.  The problem is I’m not sure where the Echo-Containment System is so I’ll keep them under my bed for now….

Shot for G2  

Stephen Mangan - Happy Christmas!!!

Last time I photographed Stephen Mangan, there was a birthday theme, and this time - the shoot is also a birthday; ‘Christmas’.  Mangan already looked the part as he plays Scrooge in the West End this Christmas.  My job was to bring the tree, snow and some decor.  We made the tree fly, put on as many fairy lights as I could get my hands on and wrapped up some Christmas pressies for him to kick about. 

Happy Christmas and a very Happy 2022 to you too (when it eventually gets here). 

Shot for Observer New Review

Samuel West

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

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

Shot for Observer Food Monthly

Flashback

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

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

Shot for Guardian Saturday Magazine

Dame Eileen Atkins

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

Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer

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

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

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

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

Shot for Observer New Review

Anoushka Shankar

Anoushka Shankar is not only the daughter of the world’s best known Sitar player but she is also an incredibly talented Sitar player herself. There was an incredibly calm aura about Anoushka as well as being friendly, fun and kind.  Am I right in saying that the feeling of calm goes hand in hand with the image of Sitar?!  Although I think that’s the case, the complexity of playing an instrument like the Sitar should surely make one wired, and not calm.  The sitar, is hugely personal, often custom made, and has an almost religious aura about it.  I had a blanket for this shoot and had to stand above Anoushka to photograph her.  To be able to be on the blanket where Anoushka was playing the sitar, I had to take shoes off.  Not to preserve the state of my blanket, but because I was on the blanket with the Sitar.  A respectful way to treat such a complex instrument.

This shoot was for the Observer Food Monthly so an element of food needed to be included.   As well as turning lettuce leafs into a pattern that would correspond with the pattern of my blanket, I also made a Sitar out of a Squash and had the lettuce leaves on Anoushka’s shoulders, almost like the base of some angel wings. 

Shot for OFM

Rafe Spall

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

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

Shot for Observer Magazine

Rob Brydon

My first shoot with Rob Brydon was way back when he played the taxi driver Keith Barrett. Since then I have been commissioned by several different publications to photograph him, I’ve shot a live DVD cover with Rob and the poster to his live standup tour. This shoot was promoting a youtube podcast series where he interviews other comedians and celebrities. The show is a result of Covid, and is an entertaining and fun podcast with Rob having a banter with close celebrity friends, comedians and actors he has worked with and knows well.  The beauty with Rob is that his comedy is not loud and in your face.  Working with him is like having a relaxed banter amongst friends with his sharp whit injected into the conversations.  He is a normal family dad, talking of his love for Bruce Springsteen and comedy films such as Daddy’s Home.  He doesn’t keep this part of his life separate from his comedy but incorporates it, and makes it flow as natural as it can be.  No point in taking yourself too serious, as that would only allow for you to be ridiculed by subtle comments perfectly placed.  Always a pleasure working with Rob and I can only hope I will do so many more times in the future. 

Shot for Observer Magazine