Here's a selection of some of my recent portraits. Mostly corporate headshots, but a fair sprinkling of editorial and privately-commissioned pictures as well. Can you tell which is which?
The corporate portraits are always an interesting challenge. There are general stylistic norms that must be adhered to, but I do try, when possible, to spice up the lighting or composition to give it some personality.
The group shot above was for Campaign. It's actually a composite shot over two days as not all the subjects were available on the same day.
Necessity being the mother of invention, working for the Evening Standard recently I have had to develop my own portable location lighting setup that works in a wide variety of situations. I'm quite pleased with how this is coming along. The above shot was taken in the middle of a typically grey London day - I love the mixture of moodiness and beautiful medium soft light. All from one Canon speedlight.
This group shot only used a bit of fill flash - the sunshine and white walls did the rest.
I love how a graduated background draws the eye into the subject.
These gentlemen in Geneva were frightfully important and running late for a board meeting, so I had thirty seconds to line them up and get the shot. No pressure.
I love this soft, painterly style, but it's not to everyone's taste. What do you think?
The eternal struggle to make a posed line up look a) interesting and b) natural.
Sometimes sitting your group of subjects down is the best way of relaxing them and establishing some order to the scene. Especially if it's after dark, seven floors up on a windy roof in Bloomsbury.
One of the greatest pleasures of my work is the challenge of pulling together, sometimes for just a fraction of a second, the three elements of location, lighting and subject, to create an image that is both visually arresting and an honest record of events . There's a real kick to be had when it comes together. However, there's always the feeling that it could have been done another, perhaps better, way. And the urge to learn and improve one's craft, little bit, day by day, is another of those great pleasures.