Sarah Solemani

This shoot with Sarah Solemani took place just around the corner from where I live.  Although Sarah is now based in LA, she grew up in Hackney, London.  The backdrop for this shoot was Ridley Road Market, now a bustling culturally diverse market - but once the battleground for the 62 Group, a collection of anti-fascists who stood up against the rising Neo-Nazi movement in Britain after WW2.  This conflict was the basis of Sara Solemani’s BBC drama, based on the book Ridley Road by Jo Bloom.  

The film deals with a part of history that I did not know about before Sarah told me about it.  What is now such a culturally diverse community and market is miles away from the Neo-Nazi conflict of post war Britain.  

This shoot was more a matter of walking through the market with Sarah, searching for backdrops that I felt would be suitable as we went along.  Sarah, nice and relaxed in what is an environment she is used to from her younger days, easily chatted to me and the people in the market alike.  One man proposed to her and I got invited to hang out in LA with her! - no doubt in my mind that Sarah is as nice as they come.  


Shot for Observer New Review

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

Joanna Hogg and Honor Swinton Byrne

Joanna Hogg worked with Tilda Swinton in one of Tilda’s first films,  and Joanna’s Graduation piece.  They had been friends as kids, but casting Tilda in this early film had reignited their friendship and they have been friends ever since.  Both developed individual, successful careers and Joanna became the godmother of Tilda’s daughter Honor Swinton Byrne.  Now, over 30 years later, Joanna has made a film based on romantic relationship she had some years ago.  Struggling to find someone to play herself, she finally came up with the idea of casting Honor.  To Joanna this working relationship is as personal as the story.  

I met up with Joanna and Honor  at The House of St Barnabas in London.  Often when you photograph an actor and a director together, you notice a closeness from having worked together for a long time, but you also notice a professional boundry that is not crossed.  In the end, director/actor is a working relationship. Their working relationship before stepping in front of my camera has often been one of separation - one in front of camera and one behind.  When you then put the actor and director together, it is as if they need to redefine the boundary between themselves.  Joanna, as is often the case with directors, also dislikes being in front of the lens.  

But Joanna and Honor are not representative of a traditional working relationship.  Their history and closeness was evident as soon as they entered the room.  After Joanna had used months to lead Honor through her first film, it seemed that Honor, (being more comfortable in front of the camera) was leading Joanna into a space of comfort. The intimacy and the handhold were natural and I was fortunate to be there to capture their friendship.  


Shot for Observer New Review