Seychelles

Work's gone a bit quiet this month. Maybe it's the credit crunch, or end of year budgets have run dry, but there are definitely less jobs happening.

So, when I was asked if I fancied a trip to the Seychelles to shoot some brochure shots for a 5 star resort, and they'd throw in a few days R&R there afterwards, I didn't have to study my diary too much to know I was free (like I'd have turned it down otherwise?!).

A random week

One of the things I love about this job is that every day is different. Not to mention occasionally surreal.
This week I've found myself variously lying on my back photographing buses with red noses on, inside the House of Commons for an awards ceremony, on the set of a new Pot Noodle ad, bobbing around in the middle of the Thames trying to capture a water projection, and finally (and most surreally) arranging several Madame Tussauds figures to look like they're shopping at a Sainsbury's checkout!

Fashion Week.... Dahling

It's London Fashion Week again. I was working for Toni & Guy, so had to shoot the models having their hair done backstage, then dash out the front for the actual catwalk shows. By far the most stressful part of each show was ensuring I had a decent spot on the podium. It's hard trying to squeeze 50+ photographers into a space fit for 15, especially when everyone wants to be slap bang in the middle.
My favourite show of the week was Qasimi, with Victorian gothic style clothes modelled by an all-star line-up of Erin O'Connor, Lily Cole, Jade Parfitt, Jasmine Guinness, Liberty Ross, Jacquetta Wheeler, Yasmin Le Bon and Carmen dell'Orifice. Despite the big names, this had the most chilled and friendly backstage of them all.
The booby prize of the week went to the House of Blue Eyes show, which was the most self-indulgent piece of sensationalist w**k I've ever had to sit through. The designer, who played a central role in the evening's 'theatre', was so pompous and rude to the assembled photographers before the show that we unanimously decided to boycott photographing his grand entrance (and subsequent repeated appearances). The karma kick was that T&G were doing the hair for him as a favour (though I wasn't allowed backstage), and part of the deal was that he'd get a copy of my pictures. So he'll now receive pics of all his models, but none of himself. Ya boo sucks.

Obamamania

Where better to watch the Obama inauguration than TGI Friday's?

Sony VAIO

To launch their new VAIO P-Series laptops, and to demonstrate it’s mobile capabilities, Sony took a load of journo’s to Paris on the Eurostar. I’d just unwrapped my shiny new Canon 5D mkII camera, and this was it’s first outing. I wanted to experiment with alternating between shooting stills and video on the same camera, and I have to say I’m quite impressed with it’s ease of use and video quality (the 60mb still images aren’t bad either!).

First day back

The first day back at work after Christmas is never a pleasure - though it’s made easier when you’ve got a buxom actress like Gemma Bissix doing press-up’s in front of you.
I’ve had worse days.

MTV EMA

This is Perez Hilton, BitchMeister General of celebrity gossip blogs, at the MTV European Music Awards in Liverpool.
(add your own punchline here).









Solange Knowles (Beyonce's sister) played an exclusive set at the awards afterparty. I wasn't sure what to expect, but she blew me away with a wicked set and non-stop dancing.
I became an instant fan.
Then, a few days later, I listened to the album properly.
On seconds thoughts...

I'll Eat My Hat!

A wedding dress (fully functional), covered entirely with chocolate decorations - complete with matching shoes and hat.
It'll be the one time you hope the sun DOESN'T shine on your wedding day.

Cut!

This was a slightly surreal day at the office:
I was shooting set stills at the recording of a new advert involving Johnny Vegas and Monkey. Then I had to shoot some portraits of them both. And I was talking to Monkey asking him to give me a range of expressions. Which he did.

Now, just read those last two sentences again, slowly.

Pet a Porter

A fashion show for dogs.
Dogs wearing VERY expensive designer clothes.
Dog lovers BUYING very expensive designer clothes for their own dogs.
Nope, still don't get it.

Walter Mitty

I love speed dating events. I've been to several now (purely in a work capacity, you understand) and it just looks like a great excuse to lie your pants off. "Hi, I was a jet-pilot, but I've given it up for the time being since I won the lottery".
This one was organized by the South Australian Government, to entice English women to emigrate there with prospective Aussie suitors. Apparently there's a 'Sheila drought'.

Double Edged Sword

I've recently been asked to shoot some portraits for friends, which is a double edged sword. On the one hand it's a chance to try new techniques without the pressure of fulfilling a brief, but on the other, there's almost more pressure to produce results they're happy with!
The top portrait is Deborah Burke, who is one of the geniuses (or genuii?) behind the Lost Vagueness and Shangri-La fields at Glastonbury. Taken at her studio, using a ring-flash adaptor and 50mm lens.
Jenny Kong, is an up-and-coming film director, and this shot was for her press pack to promote her first short film. Lit using one 35mm flash-gun, on a stand to the side.
Of course, it helps that they're both lookers to begin with!

Only 141 shopping days left to go..

Santa returned from his Summer holiday even earlier this year to open Harrods' Christmas Department.
Now I know there are some efficiently organised people out there, but 141 days before Christmas?
Bah humbug!

Ford Fiesta - Love Factory

I know us photographers get pigeonholed quite narrowly, but I'm in danger of becoming the 'guy with a good head for heights:
Hot on the heels of my scaffold clambering, and entirely unrelated, I was booked to do a shoot of the Ford Fiesta factory in Cologne, Germany - part of which was being wrapped to rebrand it as 'the Love Factory' to celebrate the latest Fiesta launch. The part of the factory that was being wrapped faced the Rhine, and the only way to get a clear shot of it was from the air.
Cue helicopter, with the side door taken off.
I was more excited than nervous, even when we were airborne. I was pretty well strapped in, but when my foot strayed out of the open side it was whipped away by the wind with such force that I made a mental note not to lean out too much. To be honest I was busy concentrating on doing the job properly and overcoming the technical problems of focusing/framing whilst moving, and counteracting the vibrations of the helicopter - not to mention trying to avoid dropping anything out of the door!
Back on the ground, we had Ford's own Fire Brigade (dedicated just to the factory) help us get some closer shots, using their ladder truck. Another opportunity to dangle around in mid-air, AND I got to wear a fireman's belt - with axe and everything! (It's true about us boys never growing up).

One of the things I love about this job is the opportunities it gives me to go places and do things I otherwise might never get the chance to. So, thanks to Clive at Cake for letting me tick off 'helicopter' and 'fire engine' from my list of things to do before I die.
In one day he's made two of my boyhood dreams come true. Cheers.

Glasto 2008

It looked like it wasn't going to be a good year for Glastonbury....




...but then the sun came out, Jay Z kicked ass, and I spent the night pillow fighting with midgets, watching the sun rise from the Stone Circle then dancing with transvestites in a replica New York gay bar!
I found this couple curled up asleep in a giant birds nest as I made my way back to my tent in the morning.
'Till next year then...

Walthamstow Dog Stadium..

... is closing after 75 years.
You've got until August to experience a night at the country's best Greyhound racing stadium, complete with it's iconic 1930's architecture. And with minimum bets of 20p, you can't really go wrong.
I'm trying to document a bit of this local history before it disappears, so let's all see it off with a last Hurrah!

I'm on top of the World, Ma!

This was the best job I've had in ages. I'd been asked to photograph the refurbishment work being carried out on a central London building. After my H&S briefing, and donning my hard-hat, boots etc, I was given free reign over all the scaffolding to get the angles I needed. It was like a giant climbing frame for grown-ups! Brilliant! I realised how high I was when I looked across and saw a crane driver snoozing in his cab below me.

Here's my first attempt at a 360' panoramic shot, a view of London from the building's rooftop helicopter pad!

Isle of Wight festival

I was working for Carling at the Isle of Wight festival. Unfortunately, my brief there didn't require me to cover the stages so I had no press access. The Carling area, which was outside the main arena, closed between 5-10pm each night, so I thought I'd be able to relax and enjoy a festival as a punter for a change.
But I came to realise that I'm not very good at separating work from pleasure when I've got a camera in my hand. I found it really frustrating watching bands and not being able to photograph them. Maybe it was compounded by the fact that there wasn't anyone on the line-up (Sex Pistols excepted) I really wanted to take time out and see.
The pics above are of The Wombats, who played a secret gig for competition winners in the back of a Carling articulated freezer truck! And John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols - taken on a 300mm ƒ2.8 lens from the middle of a heaving mosh pit!

Cannes 2008

A good year for Cannes. It seemed less hectic than previous years, but had a good turn out of big names: Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Dennis Hopper, Madonna, Sharon Stone, Robert De Niro ....
Angelina was promoting three films there. I never thought I'd get to the point where we'd be saying 'all right Angelina, we've done you, now move along please.'

The Beard is back!

When applying for my Cannes pass, I sent in the profile pic above - just to see if they'd use it. They did, so I felt obliged to resurrect 'the Pugilist', on the grounds that I might not get in if I didn't look like my pass.
Quenten Tarantino was so impressed he came and sat with me (and a few friends) for a picture!