Wedding

The best photographic portraits translate a living person across time and place giving the illusion that we the viewer can now see and meet them in the gallery.

Sandy Nairne, director at the National Portrait Gallery

This is a wonderful quote and I admit I’ve not thought of a great portrait as such. When I come across a great portrait or any great image I am stopped dead and sit and stare at it in wonder. With all the millions of images that we consume and often hundreds daily, what is it about one picture that truly grabs your attention and keeps you there.

I wonder as a photographer who makes a living from taking photographs am I searching for something different and am I stimulated as such in a different way to other image consumers. I know that when we compare our old film prints to those we have created and printed digitally there are key things that stand out and these are essentially technical differences. It’s the discerning eye of a professional that may be curious as to the technical achievement of the creator. For instance marvelling at the shadow detail, which was hard to manage with the limitations of film. But digital has changed that and now images have such depth, clarity and punch to them. It may be detail throughout the image in general and it may have that stand out digital feel that many consumers love and expect now. Or it maybe the curious lighting and I try to work out how the subject has been lit.

But putting aside the immediate reaction to some stand out technical achievements and lighting I think about other elements that stop me and make me really stare at a portrait for longer. I have never stopped being fascinated by faces and particular beautiful faces. It may be an obvious thing to say and who would not be touched by the beauty of a face. But for sure I can be so totally lost in a beautiful face. It can be old or young, male or female it really doesn’t matter. How a sitter’s eye and expression can be so mesmerising. The Mona Lisa has not lost its appeal and try to imagine how many people have gazed at that enigmatic face over the years. But I would say that regardless of the quality of the photography and how professionally it may have been executed, the beauty of face can still stop me dead in my tracks and leave me staring and wondering. Many people are familiar with the incredible portrait of the young Afghan girl taken by Magnum photographer Steve McCurry and how that image is a wonderful example of the power of the human face to draw you in and keep you there wondering and admiring. I met Steve McCurry at one of his private views and we discussed the power of such an image. He was however more keen to talk to the two beautiful Asian girls I was with and its clear he hasn’t stopped being drawn to beauty and youth. I'm sure he would have skilfully captured their beauty on film.

When I was a student doing my degree in photography I took a field trip to Turkey. I left the main college group and decided to hitchhike across Turkey with my buddy. We had no real plan as to where we were going and this was all pre internet so there was no booking online in advance or checking reviews and train times. We had no mobile phones as they were just for the rich and powerful like Gordon Ghekko. There was no Booking.com or reviews on Tripadvisor or even hotels to call. We literally walked out onto the road and stuck our thumbs out and took lifts from strangers. We stayed in people’s houses or found some place that would have a room for us. The whole time the focus was on taking great photographs and concentrating on how the journey and experience fed into our photography. Now that I look back on that trip and think about how it was a very brave and bold plan. My personal project was a total homage (creative persons word for blatant rip off) of Richard Avedon’s mid west portfolio that is one of the most incredible bodies of photographic work ever undertaken. That work and style of portraiture has influenced many millions of photographers and any photographer venturing out to capture other social groups whether it be indigenous tribes in far off places or kids in a local council estate, they owe Avedon something if they have isolated their subject against a neutral backdrop. So I did my own Avedon mid west homage (rip off) and absolutely loved shooting the project. I look back on that work and wonder how on earth I made it happen and managed to achieve all I did. Its one of my best stand out projects and if I ever have an exhibition celebrating my career these images from Turkey would be at the start of the gallery and on the invite.

I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Avedon at a gallery in London and wish I had had more time to chat with him. He signed the book he was promoting and for a brief moment I was with a true artistic legend. I really don’t think there will ever be any new photographers that come even close to the talent and genius of Richard Avedon and Irving Penn. None that have such an enormous impact on the medium too and have created so many incredible meaningful images. I wish I had had more time with him and chatted in depth about photography but as with all book signings, it was too brief.

Now during that trip I photographed many children and adults along my hitchhiking journey and there are portraits of two young girls that really do fit into that category of capturing a mesmerizing face and one of serene beauty and innocence. The two girls were playing together and may have been related. In keeping with the project style and brief I isolated the two girls against a neutral wall and got them to relax and stare into the lens. The two images have never been far from me ever since I shot them all those years ago. Right now both are printed, framed and hanging in my hallway and I pass them countless times every day. Relatives and friends have also got similar prints hanging up in their homes and it’s clear that we are all touched by the incredible beauty of the two girls. One of the images was used on my old business card and the two portraits along with others from that project have always been part of my travel portfolio. They are the perfect example of how I can never tire of looking at such a placid, beautiful, youthful face and I often wonder about those girls. I have thought of trying to go back to Turkey and find them both but I can’t even recall which town I was in. If I had the time and money I certainly would attempt that goal.

I wonder how those two girls must in their thirties now and possibly have children of their own. I always wonder how things turned out for them in their lives. Did they find love and happiness and are they safe and well. I consider how the portraits have been part of my life ever since I photographed them. I have gazed at the images a thousand times either in my portfolio, on the walls of my home or on my computer. They are part of my creative journey, career and personal life. Yet for the two girls it was a fleeting moment where some strange guy appeared in the street and asked them to stand against a wall and briefly stare, they would have giggled, posed and then continued to play and forgotten about it all an hour later. But as Sandy Nairne says in the quote above I do feel I can meet them. The portraits continue to make me smile and their calm serene beauty brings some happiness to me in a very troubled world.

I sincerely hope that some of my images taken at the beautiful wedding of Camilla and Filippo will stay with the family for many years and be framed for the walls of their home. There were numerous beautiful faces of all ages in attendance and all the guests were keen and delighted to pose and be photographed. I was second shooter to my good friend and very talented photographer Alex Lloyd with whom I work with regularly. The day started at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Chelsea. The flowers in the church were truly spectacular and I hope my décor shots have done them justice. The wedding party went onto to enjoy a wonderful reception, dinner and dance at Nonsuch Mansion in Cheam. This was one of our favourite weddings from a busy year and I sincerely hope Camilla and Filippo are pleased with the results.