Speaking with Richard Strange at the 'A Might Big If' event at the HofStB, Brian Cox kept the chapel enthralled with Hollywood tales of a career that's spanned almost 50 years and has taken him a long way from Dundee. The shoot was perfect, a nice soft light in a lovely location with an incredibly gracious actor who responds well to light, like they all do really. It's just these musicians... More events forthcoming at the House, including their members club opening this year. I'm in on that for sure.
FWA Photo of The Day with AK
While I do find their content quite hit or miss, I still get excited when The FWA Photo Of The Day pick one of mine. An obvious hit. You should try it, go on. It's easy and makes you feel you're out there, cos it can be quite solitary sometimes huh.
Peace cover for The Fly
New issue out now! Peace are thoroughly decent chaps, very pleasant company plus their music ain't half bad neither. You wouldn't believe the crappy location and sticky carpet environs surrounding this shoot but the ringflash irons out all the rough spots always.
Yaya Toure for PUMA
Lovely shoot with Yaya. A great, supercool guy and strong imagery for PUMA editorial. More shoots to follow hopefully.
PLEASE DO THIS!
Really pleased to be involved with the wonderful 100 Project who raise funds for the Prince's Drawing School. I thought (well, hoped) as you're reading this that you might be into my work and therefore want to possibly own a unique print - a punt I know, but hey. It's on eBay but not for much longer. Please bid or tell your mates or get involved in some way, it'll make you feel good I swear. Cheers.
Grimes, uh huh
That's it. Probably, almost certainly.
Riders for Health Feature on CNN
A decent gallery and feature on Riders here. The greatest people doing the best work with the simplest solution. Please distribute!
So many shoots...
That I needed January off. Well, not quite but the end of year runaround for The Fly's (bloody brilliant) Bands for 2013 issue got pretty hectic. Ideas were bashed out quick and strong and Team Tom delivered wonderfully. Thanks fellas. Have a peep at the digi version here and gauge for yourself tho I guess. The King Krule shoot was memorable to say the least, low tide at Surrey Quays, him up to his Nikes in sludge and us wrestling with mini-Octas in gale force dunno but who gives a shit, they look spot on - to my taste at least. So thanks for reading my nonsense (my web stats say it's not just you mum) and here's to another bumber year ahead, for you too I hope. Off on hols and back soon. Nicely.
Vidic for PUMA in The Times
Man Utd captain at Trafford FC for PUMA. Cool guy and unlike most of the other footballers I've met. Great shoot too, with 2 changes of strip and 3 locations in one hour. Boom.
Laurence Galpin has the voice of an angel
Like you wouldn't believe. Final Autumn event at the House of St Barnabas curated by Rob Da Bank. I'll really miss the magic of hearing some incredible singers in this chapel in Soho. It really has something special to offer.
Peter Capaldi for House of St Barnabas
I mean, how could you go wrong? He was incredibly obliging in the 90 seconds I had him for and, like all actors, can offer it up repeatedly without issue or effort, sidestepping any awkwardness. Peter was speaking at Richard Strange's night A Mighty Big If at The House of St Barnabas, somewhere I fall in love with a little more with every visit. By the way, sorry for the clanging scanning of these words, I suck at this.
Hooky for MOJO
What a life he's had so far and still with loads of fire in his tumtum. We squeezed into his funny little hotel bedroom and shot this for MOJO and it looks great on the page, really clean and really just how any snapper would love to see his work used. Full bleed and no words!
Jessie Ware for AGENDA Magazine
Looking good Jessie, always.
Chairlift for The Fly
I could have picked any of a dozen frames of Chairlift - they know how to be shot. They're American. They try to look good in shoots. OK - they were an hour late - but I'm not one to bare a grudge. Nope. Not me, uh uh.
MTV EMA Magazine spread
Shot the greatest spread the other day, for the MTV EMA magazine featuring THE CREAM of the London nightclub scene. I loved every second of the shoot and the results look just as planned which is a plus. Lots of challenges but that's ok. Tom Ralph made us a vid, have a squizz on here.
Beth Orton at HoSB
Still got it, in spades. I must enquire what that expression means some day. Anyway - Beth, yes, sounded beautiful in the chapel, like it was designed for her, which in many ways it kind of was.
Melody's Echo Chamber
You know Melody, she's awesome. Right?
Andrew Weatherall at House of St Barnabas
Oh man. I have loved this guy for so long. His every move is the least obvious choice and here he was, curating a fund raiser for the great work at House of St Barnabas and as you can see, a delight to shoot. Super friendly and he rocks a strong look. Great. I thanked him for two wonderful moments in my life - as a Plymouth-based, early 90s raver, I travelled to see him DJ in Exeter and went up after a killer set to shake the legend's hand (like you could back then). He said 'Did you like that last tune?', I replied in the positive and he thrust it into my hand without a second thought. I made him reluctantly sign it and I still cherish it today. The other time was shooting him 10 years ago for an American music mag and I'd unwisely sought advice from this bloody friend who said he hated being photographed, hated flash, will want it done quick o'clock. I was then dreading the shoot inevitably as I really didn't want to dislike the guy, but he was a really generous subject and indulged my ideas and gave me time and his patience for a delightful shoot, with great results and a memory I'll cherish. Andrew Weatherall - thank you for another quality experience at House of St Barnabas.
Trailer Trash Tracys for The Fly
Like the quickest shoot ever, an old school 36 frames (digital snappers - this number will mean nothing to you but that's a roll of film. FILM. I know, impractical, expensive, exclusive and therefore undemocratic, but gorgeous. I miss it sometimes. Not all times). Any road, this lot are the easiest to shoot and with a simple lighting set up and no processing at all, we nailed it in minutes. Who likes long shoots? Not me.
Melody's Echo Chamber
Is very talented and lovely. You know this. Nice shoot with her, wandering about, playing with a light, a reflector, lens flare, the sun. Light is my medium supposedly, so the cliche goes.