TV Winners – Bafta
After photographing the Bafta TV Awards official portraits I was given the chance to meet more amazing award winners. I was eager to make these shoots really personal, so asked each person to take me to a location that meant a lot to them. That led to an emotional return to Malachi Kirby’s childhood estate, sharing a fishing trip with Charlie Cooper, diving into a much loved street market with Marian Mohamed’s, and enjoying champagne and haribo by the canal with Georgi Banks-Davies. You can watch a couple of behind the scenes films here, or click through to see each of these shoots in full: Charlie Cooper – Best Actor in a comedy Malachi Kirby – Best Supporting Actor Marian Mohamed – Emerging Talent Factual Georgi Banks Davies – Emerging Talent Fiction Massive thanks to Claire Rees and Jordan Anderson at Bafta for commissioning me for these incredible shoots. ...
Beyond the Horizon – New Film
Beyond the Horizon, my new film, has premiered on Director’s Notes. It’s an exploration of the ups and downs of the creative process, and the fruit of my collaboration with composer Segun Akinola and choreographer Demi Rox. I’ve been lucky enough to cross paths with many brilliant creative people. Speaking to them and knowing my own process, I’ve found that bringing a project to life is always a journey with many twists and turns. You start up-beat and self-assured, but you’re guaranteed to get overwhelmed by self-doubt at some point. To make something you’ve got to be determined and keep going despite that. Combining music and dance felt like the right way of telling that story. In the film Rox cuts a lone figure against the austere dunes as she combines hip hop, freestyle, and classical dance to Akinola’s cello score written for the film. She begins calm and collected,...
Charlie Cooper – Bafta
From a giraffe, to a tree, to a washed out rock and roll star Charlie Cooper dived into every idea I threw at him on our photoshoot to celebrate his recent Bafta for best actor in a comedy. “Charlie tried to get me to become characters during the shoot. We created this backstory of a washed up, Bill Nighy type, rock and roll star.” Who knew what a simple red carnation could inspire? I wasn’t surprised to see amazing ideas spurting out of Mr Cooper whilst we messed about together, this man has created a much loved comedy with his sister by embracing the strange and wonderful things that happen nearby. Living in the middle of the Cotswolds he still loves to be near nature and finds it helps his work. “To be able to look out the window and see miles and miles of greenery, it’s important to me. And...
Marian Mohamed – Bafta
I photographed the documentary director Marian Mohamed to celebrate her Bafta Emerging Talent Award for Defending Digga D. I met Marian at her home and we hit the streets together. Diving into her local market she got a lot of attention in the incredible orange dress she had chosen for the shoot. I love doing something a bit different with the people I photograph – pushing them to do things that aren’t that “normal” can create a special connection or a unique moment. Marian got rather into this shoot, strutting up and down the market between the vegetables to a reggae soundtrack from a nearby stall. I thought it’d be fun to turn the market into a podium to celebrate her success, so with the help of a few coke boxes and a burst of sunlight we elevated Marian into a modern day Venus. Massive thanks to Claire Rees and...
Georgi Banks Davies – Bafta
“Champagne and haribo!” says Georgi. That’s how she would like to celebrate her Bafta for Best Director. “Sounds amazing,” I say… because, well, why not? So at 6:30am on a misty morning I find myself sipping champagne by the canal, whilst my star tucks into a giant bag of Starmix. The commuters and dogs walkers passing by seem a bit confused, but it’s London so they let us carry on with a cheerful wave. The more observant few spot the Bafta award and do a double take… Georgi mainly laughs, as do I. Massive thanks to the team who made this excellent shoot happen: Production, art direction and generally being awesome – Claire Rees and Jordan Anderson Photographic assistant – Philip Hardman
Malachi Kirby – Bafta
“Maybe more important than winning the BAFTA for me, was being able to have this photoshoot in the area that I grew up” Go behind the scenes on my Bafta photoshoot with Malachi Kirby, who won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe. Talking to Malachi before we met, we decided to do something special to celebrate his award. I wanted to go to a location that meant a lot to him, and he suggested returning to the estate where he grew up. We ended up photographing in the very playground he used to spend time in as a child, and also outside his old front door. Such an honour sharing this moment with him. I’ve seen Malachi’s career rise from when I first met him as a Bafta Breakthrough Brit in 2016, and here he is now winning major awards. He’s remained humble, kind and...
Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne – British GQ
Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne are honoured in this months GQ Heroes for their determined investigative journalism that brought to light Noel Clarke’s many sexual allegations. It was a real privilege getting to photograph these two incredible people who have helped to shine a much needed light on the dark side of the film industry. Read the interview with them on GQ here: LINK Massive thanks to Robin Key for the commission. Hair and make up: Emma Small Photo assistant: Oliver Mayhall Retouching: Melissa Morgan
Louis Theroux – The Sunday Times Magazine
This was a fun shoot! Louis got totally involved from the off. The kick photo was basically our first frame, and it just got better from there. Collaborating with brilliant people is one of the things I love most about my job, and this shoot was exactly that. Thanks so much for the fun Louis! Massive thanks to Russ O’Connell for the awesome commission, Dan Biddulph for the great layout, to Emma Leon for grooming, to Rami Hassen for assisting, and Melissa Morgan for the retouch.
Poppy Appeal 2021 – Royal British Legion
I photographed and filmed this year’s Poppy Appeal campaign to celebrate 100 years of collecting in the community. Travelling across the country from Plymouth to Sunderland we met 10 incredible people who collect for the Royal British Legion. From ten year old Maisie, in Plymouth, who has been fundraising since she was just four, to Vera, who is 82, and has been a committed collector in Durham for more than seven decades. In fact Vera has raised over £1million in her time! I photographed every collector in their community, from seafronts to stores, and supermarkets to stations. Creating both still and moving portraits you can see them holding their buckets, smiling broadly and always happy to see you. As well as meeting them in their home environment we also invited them all to London. The aim – to create a special group image bringing all ten together, one collector...
Richard Dawkins – The Sunday Times Magazine
When I found out the scientist and outspoken atheist had written a book about flight I immediately thought of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun, and then straight after that of Leonado Da Vinci’s incredible designs for human wings.So I got in touch with the illustrator Lindsey Spinks and asked her to create some life-sized wings for our photoshoot. Over the next couple of days Lindsey took over her house tea-staining a giant cloth and then sketching out a pair of giant Da Vinci inspired drawings for Professor Dawkins to stand in front of.Thankfully the professor was totally up for the idea and got rather involved in posing in front of the wings. Surrounded by the epic building of New College Oxford it was a wonderfully surreal experience. Huge thanks also to Russ O’Connell for the commission and for being so up for my idea, and...