Portrait: Brendan

Portrait: Seaweed Pete

One from the archive, a portrait of 'Seaweed Pete' taken just off of the south coast, close to Poole Harbour, 2011.  

Jeremy Paxman for TATLER

I recently had the honour of being asked by Tatler to photograph British TV and news personality Jeremy Paxman, considered a notorious interviewer and a bit of an all round intellectual powerhouse. Needless to say I was a little daunted! Thankfully though I think  managed to break through the frosty exterior to create a honest portrait of the man himself. We was photographed at The Langham Hotel in London's West End, above is the one as it that ran and below are two outtakes.

Below is quick phone snap of the set-up and my two assistants in the day Jordan and Olivia.

On being a Photographer: Working with NGO's in the field

I was recently commissioned for the charity ActionAid to go out to Sierra Leone and document their in-country projects on post conflict development. It was a celebrity trip and we were taking the British Actress Sarah Alexander with us. ActionAid just asked me to do a small interview which featured on their website - you can read that here. 

Working for NGO's in the field is always interesting and challenging work, and I think it takes a certain approach. You have to be acutely aware that you are representing the NGO and their ethos, this is true for many photography commissions, but with NGO's you're are often working in their frontline of operations, and the very nature and sensitivity of NGO work makes it especially important. You have responsibilities not only to your client but also, and perhaps more importantly, the people that they work with on the ground, the very people the organisation aims to help. For this reason I always find it huge honour to be commissioned as a photographer for an NGO - it shows that you're considered a good operator and are trusted to work in often challenging conditions. You have to be adaptable and ready for the unexpected; this tale from a photography commission I had in Guatemala a few years back is a good example of that!  

The shot below was a team photo from the final day - we just come form spending the day working in torrential rain at the King Tommy Bommah; the biggest rubbish dump in Freetown.

Recent Tearsheet: FT Weekend Magazine, Noodles

I recently had an assignment for the Financial Times working with the writer Nicholas Lander. We were covering a feature on 'The Noodle Bar', a small restaurant in London's West End, where the noodles are made fresh everyday. I love these type of jobs - they get me discovering new places in my own back yard. I also got an delicious free meal out of it.

Syanne, summer shoot

Some images from a recent test shoot with Syanne shot in West London in the last days of Summer.

Portrait: Brendan

A portrait of a friend, Brendan, who very kindly agreed to sit for me the other day.

Assignment: Freetown, Sierra Leone for ActionAid UK

The view from the Peace Bridge, Freetown, Sierra Leone. I was fortunate enough to working be in Sierra Leone last month with the actress Sarah Alexander on assignment for ActionAid UK. Keep an eye on my instagram feed over the next few days for some exclusive behind the scenes images.

Surya Food photographed for the Telegraph

This was a commission for an HSBC advertorial in the Telegraph. It involved shooting in a large rice distribution depot in Essex. I've never seen so much rice in my life (God forbid the place ever flooded). It's always interesting shooting in working factory along with all the restrictions and and difficulties that it throws up.

Julia Peyton-Jones for the Financial Times

I was recently commissioned by the Financial Times to photograph Julia Peyton-Jones co-director of London's Serpentine Gallery. Unfortunately the new wing of the gallery was a building site when I visited so I had to go with the old 'column shot'.