British Film Awards

Back to The Rosewood Hotel again and this time to photograph the British Film Institute Awards Ceremony sponsored by the IWC. Working for the very talented photographer Chris Allerton it was an evening of capturing the glitz and glamour of such an occasion. The press pack were there in force and its always fun to stand back and record their presence. An activity not always welcomed and anyone who has shot catwalk photography will know how fiercely protected is the valued floor space that each photographer is allocated. The most guarded real estate in London. Thankfully I had full access and could roam freely. There were many famous faces there that night and due to certain restrictions not all of the celebrities and talent are evident in this set of images. Another fascinating feature of such events that has changed over time since I began shooting is the massive team of people behind the scenes that work for the photographers and press. There was a time when rolls of film were rushed to labs and we would wait for the pictures and then syndicate as soon as possible once received. Now on such events there is a back room filled with people hovering over laptops and mobile phones, fingers frantically tapping and typing whizzing images all over the globe as they are shot. Young editors upload, crop, caption, resize and edit at lightening speed and give the images the final gloss. Allowing people waking up in Manhattan or lying sleepily in their beds in Sydney to peruse what is happening at that very moment in a ballroom in Holborn London. When I’m shooting I try not to consider such matters and the pressure and importance of getting the job done. Its more a case of once again immersing myself in the zone and considering angles, shutter speeds and f stops and allowing my personality and experience to shine and get me through the evening despite the pressure. One quote regards coping with the demands under pressure comes from one of my favourite photographers Albert Watson. A true photographer’s photographer who I had the pleasure of photographing for Vogue many years ago. His quote is as follows:

'It’s a bit like driving a car. You learn to drive early on. All of the functions are important but they become second nature to the point where it’s not the driving of the car but where you want to go that’s crucial. The important thing is how you connect and how you use your biggest weapon- your personality.' Albert Watson

Albert you are a star!