My grumpy old editor from The Melody Maker told me never to accept photos of people shot against brick walls. It's not the most imaginative background I know, but to add some continuity and a light touch of urban grittiness to these profile pictures of the staff from groovy design agency Fjord, a bit of interior brickwork seems to work quite well.
Kid Rock
It's a wet half-term holiday morning so why not get rockin' in dad's office! Here's Billy (6) on lead guitar with his little sister Daisy Mae (5) on drums, seconds later she had a hissy fit and smashed up her kit in true Keith Moon style.
Brigit & Vicky Van Dijk-Van de Rejit
This is Brigit with her baby daughter Vicky. They wanted a few relaxed reportage-style family pics. A lovely family with a very long sir name, they also turned out to be quite photogenic.
Freema Agyeman
This was shot for The Times in Soho. Freema is currently appearing on US tv in the London-based series Law & Order: UK and to help americans understand the show's britishisms, (eg. what bloke means and that we drink a lot of tea), the tv network commissioned a short tutorial to help Americans learn the difference between their “bollocks” and their “bloodys”. It's hilarious, watch it here:
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/01/12/law-and-order-uk-deciphering-the-britishisms/
Wanderlust Portraits
Three pictures shot in London streets of people who have recently taken part in volunteer overseas work. Sarah Elliot with ruck-sack and lap-top worked on comunity and environmental projects for young people in Costa Rica for Raleigh International. www.raleighinternational.org. Cicely Brown in african costume helped out at a non-profit making computer training business in Nigeria for the VSO. www.vso.org.uk. Ed Stocker in yellow t-shirt taught children in Equador aboard the Book Bus. www.thebookbus.org
They all appear with their full stories in the current February edition of Wanderlust magazine. www.wanderlust.co.uk
Black and White Christmas Wedding
A few pics from Sian Clarke and James Bird's wedding last weekend at The ICA in The Mall. It was a properly snowy day which really added to the excitement. The major worry was if anyone would turn up but although there were travel problems getting home afterwards, it was a fantastic day with a glamourous couple and a great wedding venue.
Laura & Lee's Big Day
Here's a few pictures from Laura Hill and Lee Robert's wedding at The Avenue, St. James' London SW1. It was an honour and a privilege to capture Laura and Lee's wedding day. Good poeple, fantastic food and hilarious speeches, a truly memorable day.
Nurse!
Another Asthma UK shoot. This is specialist respiratory nurse and all round nice lady, Suzie Regan, who works at the Brompton Hospital in London.
"Patients living with severe asthma often feel that their voice within the wider community, or within general healthcare practice, is not being heard. It is the job of the specialist respiratory nurse to ensure a platform is provided for their fears and concerns to be expressed."
Severe Asthmatics
Two Pictures from a series of portraits of people I've just shot, who suffer from severe forms of Asthma. Pip, 11 from Gwent on the left and Kerry-Anne from Middlesborough on the right. Kerry-Anne says:
"It feels like somebody sticking a pin in my chest and then it’s a hundred pins. Straight away my airways close and I can’t breathe, it’s not a gradual thing but sudden. I try not to panic and dial 999"
Plastic Food in Croydon
A diabetes awareness course for care-workers in Croydon isn't the most glamourous assignment I've ever been given. I was happy with this shot though.
Pastry Chefs Of The World Unite
Just finished a great little assignment for an american magazine. The 4 best pastry chefs in London and Paris with desserts they'd come up with especially for the feature.
Ulli The Wonder Dog
I've just photographed Ulli who looks after his disabled owner, Claire. He's a retriver-poodle, an incredible dog with an amazingly close relationship with Claire. He can find anything and bring it to her including her keys, the phone when it rings, the post, slippers etc but he also helps her to get dressed and empty the washing machine.
He's trained by an organisation called Canine Partners. http://www.caninepartners.org.uk/