DEVELOPMENT

My first serious portrait subject was myself. I was learning the craft of black and white photography and for the first time tried working indoors with artificial light. I soon found my previous experience in theatrical lighting to be readily transferable to the new medium and over a series of self-portraits I developed my own techniques and equipment for controlling the quality and direction of the light, some based on established stage methods and some designed more specifically to meet the needs of still photography. After years of waiting for the light outdoors, I found the ability to construct the images from independent, controllable light sources liberating. With experience in building with a variety of materials, I often constructed props and backdrops too and this enabled visual concepts to be developed with great freedom.

When putting together my first exhibition of black and white portraits (in Hampstead, London) I used my friend’s occupations and hobbies as the theme for each image, assembling the objects and tools of their trades to construct personal scenes. The motivation behind this approach is primarily aesthetic and I believe it adds an extra layer of interest and personalisation to the posed portrait. The image becomes a depiction of the subject’s life as well as their physical appearance and the juxtaposition of interior, furnishings, objects, and clothes makes for a visually substantial whole.

Many subjects who feel ill at ease in front of cameras and lights also find that the shared emphasis on the inanimate elements of the image makes the process more comfortable and enjoyable.

Ever since making this series I have used the combined portrait and still life as a personal speciality and offer it as a central part of my portrait service, especially for depicting other artists and craftspeople in books, on album covers or for workshops and shop walls. Rather than recreating scenes in a studio, I prefer to use the subject’s home or place of work, first developing a concept with them and then finding practical ways to bring in lights and any extra objects without disruption. There is no one formula, and while always happy to develop my own ideas with the subject, the process often becomes collaborative and an expression of the way they see themselves or would like to be seen.

Of course I am also happy to make simple portraits and headshots for actors and performers, and to use outdoor locations and natural light if they prefer. I try to cultivate a calm and considered approach to making the images and to ensure that the subject is entirely comfortable with their appearance.

Many people experience commercial portrait photography as a fraught, hurried and submissive process where the photographer imposes their own method and visual style without consultation or explanation. This is an approach that easily evolves in conditions of time pressure and group organisation such as in schools or at weddings, but I would rather take my time to get things right and to allow the subject to relax and focus on what they want in a peaceful atmosphere; I hope this ultimately results in more calm and natural expressions, which is of just as much importance than any extra still-life element.

PRICES

Prices for portraits vary depending on the level of complexity and distance to travel, but I am always open to negotiation. Carefully-planned interior colour portraits with large framed prints normally start at around £450, while simple headshots for actors are typically around £85 for one or two sessions and all images supplied on a CD.