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    Tuesday 30 December 2008

    Best of 2008!

    A presentation of my best work from 2008.


    Monday 1 December 2008

    MTV Staying Alive Party

    Coco Sumner, daughter of Sting, was performing at MTV's Staying Alive party at The Proud Gallery in Camden so I went along to get some shots of her and the other bands playing. Still only 18, Coco has signed been signed up and is due to release an album next year. That coupled with the fact she's a major rock star's daughter, is a party girl and has been modeling a lot means you'll probably be seeing a lot more of her next year.
    The other band posed below are Operahouse, another up and coming group.



    Saturday 29 November 2008

    Estelle Plays IndigO2

    The IndigO2 is a purpose build venue inside the O2 Arena, meaning the light and sound are spot on. I was very pleased with the images I shot tonight - one of the best gigs picture wise I've done all year.





    Thursday 27 November 2008

    Ida Maria Plays The Scala

    Fun gig this one, apart from a music photographer, whom I don't know, refusing to let me rest my bag on the front of stage for one minute to get my cameras out. Instead he seemed content in letting me stand behind him why I wrestled with a heavy camera bag and lenses in a packed crowd. It's rare for fellow photographs not to help each other out, but some seem paranoid of the opposition.
    Anyway, Ida was entertaining to watch and the support VV Browne (bottom photo) was also a lively warm up.




    Wednesday 26 November 2008

    Flawless Premiere

    After a very brief and dull job photographing Prince Charles arriving at Mosaic Talent Awards for Excellence (as I'm in a rush it's not really posting these photos) I rushed to Shaftsbury Avenue for Demi Moore's latest film Premiere of 'Flawless'. This wasn't deemed a big enough film its premiere hosted in Leicester Square, so instead 30 or so photographers were given a pen to shoot from outside this small Odeon Cinema, right on Shaftsbury Avenue with passing traffic and the public swarming around us.
    Given that Demi Moore was arriving with her husband Ashton Kutcher, this was never going to work. And sure enough when Demi's and Ashton's car drew up, the waiting public and paparazzi surged forward, largely blocking our way. It was incredibly messy picture wise and their entrance to the cinema was over very quickly with barely any posing from the A-list couple.
    However, I still managed to get what turned out to be a few great frames because after the two of them walked past me, totally out of the blue, Ashton tapped Demi on the shoulder turned her round to look in my direction before pointing at me (see photo below). Could he hear me shouting among all the other photographers and public? I doubt it. Perhaps he thought he recognised me.


    Tuesday 25 November 2008

    The Queen Meets New Zealand Rugby Team

    The Queen visited London Bridge to meet the New Zealand Prime Minister and the New Zealand rugby team, who are over touring Europe.
    Below she is seen feeling the freezing cold with the Prime Minister John Key and Kiwi captain Richie McCaw.



    Monday 24 November 2008

    Blake Fielder-Civil & George Sampson

    Today was meant to be the day Michael Jackson appeared at the High Court to defend allegations that he owes an Arab sheikh £4.7m, but he settled out of court the day before he was due to arrive in London. I went down anyway as the sheikh was rumored to be appearing and because Blake Fielder-Civil, husband of Amy Winehouse, was appealing against his 27 month prison sentence.
    I managed to capture Blake arriving before later going to photograph 'Britain's Got Talent' winner George Sampson.



    He was doing a multi city tour of England in a day, which led to him getting delayed. In fact, when I arrived at the record store ready to photograph him I was told he was still yet to get on his plan from Birmingham to London. Two hours later he showed up and his management made sure he gave me plenty of opportunity to shoot him alone and with his fans given how long I'd waited.


    Sunday 23 November 2008

    Madagascar 2 Premiere

    This was a long way from how I'd like to spend a Sunday afternoon, thanks mainly to the pissing rain and freezing temperatures, but Leicester Square it had to be.
    The big names to show up were Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett-Smith, wife of Will Smith (all below). The rain come in bursts and it as a battle keeping my equipment dry, but despite this I got some stong photos. It helped that the stars made some kind of effort to pose up despite the weather, although Chris Rock couldn't stand still for a second in the cold. Apart from these American stars who all the voices in the film, Danielle Bux (2nd from bottom photo) showed up with boyfriend Gary Lineker to much attention.





    Thursday 20 November 2008

    Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland Opening

    This was the launch of Winter Wonderland - a collection of rides, games and fairs set up in Hyde Park over the Christmas period. Several celebrities turned up to try out the rides and enjoy the Christmas vibes, helped by the free mulled wine the organisers dished out to us. The main name to turn up was Penny Lancaster (below), wife of Rod Stewart.


    Wednesday 19 November 2008

    Tony Christie Plays The Cadogan Hall

    Tony Christie, an old crooner from Sheffield, has recently been name dropped by lot of artists, such as the Arctic Monkey, Richard Hawley and of course Peter Kay who re-released his best know track ' Is This The Way to Amarillo?' to such success a couple of years ago. Christie's calibre was clear to see in the serene settings of the Cadogan Hall where I'd never previously shot before.



    Monday 17 November 2008

    Barroso Visits Downing Street & Bunch of Amateurs Premiere

    This was my second job inside of No. 10 Downing Street on a commission from the EC, whose President, José Manuel Barroso, was meeting Prime Minister Gordon Brown for talks.
    No. 10 is much larger inside than you'd imagine and I was given access to photograph Barroso and Brown walking though the Prime Minister's home before they undertook a press conference in one of the many grand rooms on show.






    Later in the evening it was down to Leicester Square for the Royal premiere of 'A Bunch of Amateurs'. The film doesn't feature any particularly big names, but the Queen was in attendance. This date had originally be put aside for the Royal premiere of the new Harry Potter film, but that had to be put aside as the release date was put back to next year, which is why the Queen was now attending a fairly low-key film now.
    Of the cast, Camilla Arfwedson (below), attracted the most attention.


    Friday 14 November 2008

    Little Noise Sessions - Kasabian

    After a job shooting Prince Charles on today, his actual 60th Birthday, it was back to the Union Chapel for another of the Little Noise Sessions. Tonight The Edge from U2 was a special guest host with Reverent And The Makers plus Kasabian making up the main acts.
    I'd never previously been a fan of Kasabian, but it has to be said that tonight they were terrific and the potential of their music really hit home.




    Thursday 13 November 2008

    Little Noise Session - Katy Perry

    After a a few days photographing Royals and being in France is was refreshing to get back to shooting some live music in the shape of the Little Noise Sessions - a week-long event where different artists perform acoustically at the impressive, intimate union chapel.
    Tonight's headliner was James Morrision, but he was rather overshadowed by special guests Katy Perry and Lemar. Perry was particularly impressive performing alone and out of her normal pop guise. I later photographed her backstage and she told me this is how she'd started her career, on the acoustic circuit, before being remodelled as a pop star.




    Wednesday 12 November 2008

    The Worst Job I've Done

    I travelled back from France today and headed straight to Wimbledon in South London, travel and camera bags in tow, to cover arrivals to a special theatre production called 'We Are Not Amused' for Prince Charles to mark his 60th Birthday. The night played host to several giants of comedy, including John Cleese and Robin Williams at the South Wimbledon theatre, peforming in front of the Prince, Camilla and Prince Harry.
    A big group of photographers were at hand as Charles' Birthday was obviously expected to get a lot of coverage and as we stood around in the cold for a couple of hours waiting for Royals to arrive. Several discussions took place with officials and TV cameramen about where photographers and TV should be stationed to get the best angle on proceedings. Everything seemed ready.
    But as the Royal car pulled up, the TV crew, filming for a special show to mark the Prince's 60th, walked straight in front of the Royals and didn't move, blocking photographers view for whole of the entrance. The photographers errupted with anger, but it was all over too quickly leaving us snappers nothing worth filling. Considering I'd rushed back from France for this and we got nothing worthwhile of the comedians or Royals I'd have to put this down as just about the worst job I'd done.
    Below is the one photo I got of the three Royals arriving.

    The Times usage

    My photo of Carla Bruni and the Duchess of Cornwall from the remembrance service was used by The Times today.

    Tuesday 11 November 2008

    Royals Attend Commemorations of The 90th Anniversary of End of WWI

    The commemorations took place at a small town called Verdun, a 3 hour drive outside of Paris, which meant leaving at 4am. Horrendous driving conditions ensued as heavy rain lashed it down the whole way. Thankfully a friend of my parents, Angie, was kind enough to make the long drive there and back to give us, but it wasn't at all easy for her, especially leaving at such an early hour.
    The rain did finally clear as we reached Verdun and the hour-long ceremony itself provided good opportunities to capture the main royals along side President Sarkozy and Carla. Amazingly, despite a police escourt, the President was actually late arriving to mark the minute silence at the 11th minute of the 11th hour, so that had to be put back.
    All-in-all though, a good day's pictures, but a very tiring day as we didn't get back to Paris till later that night. Tomorrow it's back to London for another Royal job as Prince Charles begins one of the many events to mark his 60th Birthday.