I’ve been making photographs for over fifty years — ever since I picked up my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic. I learned in the analogue age, kept and maintained my own darkroom for many years, and became a proficient printer along the way. Photography grew from a hobby into something more serious in the 1990s after some formal tuition, and these days it occupies an ever-larger part of my life.
Portraiture has always been my main focus. I have my own studio setup, which I can run from home or take on the road as a mobile setup — photographing people wherever they feel most comfortable, whether that’s a controlled studio space or their own surroundings.
Photographing people
What I love most is people. I like to engage with whoever is in front of my lens — to talk, to find out a little about what makes them tick, what their personality is like, and the images they’d most like to see of themselves. That endless variety of character and appearance is what fascinates me, and it’s what helps me draw out the best in the people I photograph.
My approach to portraiture is relaxed and conversational. Being genuinely interested in who someone is goes a long way towards putting them at ease — and for anyone who finds being photographed less natural, I’m glad to guide poses and offer gentle direction.
Beyond the studio
Alongside commissioned portraits, I photograph families across all generations, and I take on headshots for aspiring performers. Away from formal work, several other passions keep me shooting:
- Street photography — a way of challenging myself out of the comfort of the studio.
- Astrophotography — for the technical challenge, and the sheer scale and beauty of the night sky.
- Events & gigs — driven by a love of live music; I shoot both for personal pleasure and on commission.
- Fine art beauty — a more stylised, painterly approach to portraiture, built around light, mood and detail, and intended to be displayed as art.
What to expect
If you’d like to work with me, you can expect a relaxed, proficient and enjoyable experience. We’d usually begin with a conversation — by phone or in person — about the kind of images you’re looking for. A typical session is a half-day dedicated to you, with the aim of coming away with four or five distinct looks you’re happy with. That might be at my home, at yours, or somewhere neutral such as a rented studio or other venue. Afterwards I’ll share a selection of proofs and we’ll choose the final images together — which you can order as prints, or take away as digital copies. Costs vary with the brief, and we’ll always agree them up front.
A little more
I’m based in South-West London and happy to travel further afield by arrangement. Over the years my photography and writing have appeared in titles including Amateur Photographer and, in its early years, Digital Photo User, and I’ve exhibited at locally.
If you’d like to talk about a portrait, a commission, or an event, I’d love to hear from you — get in touch.