(Other than someone's yard in Kisumu, Kenya) but if I ever have a book, I might call it that.
Smashed it. Still limping tho.
So our shoot messed up yesterday thanks to the popularity of the M1, and lo, it came to pass that we were able to swing back through town from our big brand shoot and nail a fantastic hour with the beautiful sounding (and great looking) Slow Club. Tickets are available for their Shepherds Bush show and I hope to see you there. One thing you won't see is this shot in the mag so another Blog exclusive, just for you.
Slow Club
Merrily back on site at V, running around with cameras flailing shooting bands live. Say what you like about V, but it nails some incredible talent and spends money on production like no one else. Cake PR run around doing their best to accommodate the snappers' wishes (poor them) and how many festivals can you come back with shots of Rihanna, Jessie J, Arctic Monkeys, Pendulum, Ziggy Marley, Kaisers, Dizzee, Labrinth, N-Dubz, Plan B, Primal Scream, Tinie Tempah...
Rihanna at V2011
Bumper Fly for me this month with portraits of Yuck, Cerbral Ballzy, Big Deal, Dev Hynes, Warm Brains... Loads of diversity, styles, flavours, tempos, ideas, opportunities, nonsense, laughs, beers, sunshine. Love Fly.
Yuck in The Fly
Zola Jesus was fresh from the pub and well up for photo fun, luckily for me. She makes photo good.
Jesus. Zola Jesus.
I studied in Plymouth so it was fun to be in the West Country for 24 hours on Fly business. Though cold and wet, we pulled out some winners with this handsome bunch. Holding the newer, bigger umbrella was a cliff's edge challenge that Tom Bunning met with his customary panache.
Bombay Bicycle Club's Jack waaaaaaaay down in Kernow
Don't what August Town is
Day 3 in Mgori, Kenya
This gentleman collects and delivers blood samples and ferries them to and from rural community health centres like this one in Mgori back for lab testing in a dramatically faster and more reliable way than ever before, thus saving lives in a way we would take for granted in the UK. With HIV and TB so prevalent, this saved time is hugely significant obviously. Bloody good work sir.
A full on (but fun) day with The Subways in the studio. Much was achieved, loads of different looks and all of them worked ace I thought. Here's one, but there would loads of others. We work quick. Subways here.
The Subways' press shoot
Beautiful Jackson Browne for Mojo, out currently. What a huge honour and privilege, am super stoked about this one. He was the cool guy you knew he would be and we came away from this shoot with the broadest smiles. He was guesting with Jonathan Wilson and we stared in wonder throughout the soundcheck. Just great.
Jackson Browne for Mojo
Features popping up in Mojo now, which is bloody brilliant as it's a lovely mag and all the guys over there are cool. More on Nev here, a beautiful singer I reckon.
Nev Skelly for Mojo
At V2009 in Chelmsford she looked incredible. I was always stunned by her talent (I first shot her at Virgin Megastores years ago) and all that other stuff didn't matter I didn't think, until it did of course. My most hated thing is waste and her early demise is such a colossal, tragic waste.
Bye Amy
Design by Russell Moorcroft at Speak Media, portrait of Germain Burton by me. Event infohere.
Programme for Rollapaluza Urban Hill Climb
See what I did there? See what they do here: http://www.youngandlostclub.com/
Nadia and Sara. They bring light to the shadows.
Brittabeaan portrait shoot
Wrestling with the elements a tad at the end of a fruitful weekend, here's a glimpse of the set up. Elinchrom Ranger, Skyport, big softbox, ropey white sheet and loads of gaffer tape. Perfect. Shot by Ed Bartlett.
Scissor Sisters backstage at Lovebox
If Pete's experiment is working. Though if attention grabbing, eye catching, gob smacking looks are the intention, the man is definitely succeeding.
I'm not sure...
Am now bugging that I didn't shoot Beth Ditto first time round with The Gossip but here she is, in a Be Here Now outtake and man do I regret all the more missing the boat with her. She's smashed the crowd to bits, received so much love and was wonderful to everyone who had contact with her, me included. Thank you Beth.
Beth Ditto at Lovebox 2011
I've just had a right result. Am backing up the shots from Lovebox, where we were side stage shooting for Be Here Now. Jameela Jamil was hosting and very obligingly stepped up to the plate to 'test my lights'. She's ace. Then The Doggfather, the legend, Snoop Dogg did the same, before and after his killer show. I'm buzzing. This project still excites me every time, and getting the calibre of Snoop on board will do wonders I bloody hope. Apologies for not releasing the image yet but we're holding loads back for the launch. It'll be worth it I swear.
Enormous score tonizzle.
More info on the next Rollapaluza event here.