Portishead Images in US Press

Quick post showing a few of the Portishead images used in recent US press.
First is the opening spread from XLR8R Magazine (XLR8R used this group portrait and then an individual portrait of each of the three members over the next pages). Next is the cover and opening spread from the Filter music festival supplement 'Good Music Guide'. Three Portishead portraits of mine also ran in the main Filter Magazine this month in the US but I don't have the spreads to put here as yet.
I went to see Portishead play in London recently too and they were fantastic live, playing a lot of their older songs and of course music from the new album too. Beth's voice is amazing.

Opening spead of the XLR8R Magazine feature.

Filter cover.

Opening spread of the Filter feature.

Working, editing...

I've spent much of the day sorting out recent work, editing etc, and looking over a few personal images shot over the last few months too.
Just thought I'd post this personal image shot while away on assignment in Boston U.S. before Christmas. I think it's my favourite recent personal image.

Portishead, Paris.

Quick update for March...
I'm still not writing here as often as I'd like (or intended).
Must try harder.
I envy those who write everyday, how do they find the time? It would be nice to have a record of what I'd done, seen, etc, for me to read back over. Sadly my bad memory means I forget so much.
Anyway, just a quick update. I'll have more to post soon, including new photos. I've been busy during March with shoots and other things, but I think the most interesting for me was photographing Portishead. I've always loved their music and now they have their new album coming out soon. I went to Paris to photograph them last week and they didn't disappoint, they were really nice to work with and the new music sounds great.
The photographs were for a number of uses. Some of the portraits will be posted here when I can, but the first place some will appear is in Filter magazine in the U.S.

Also out soon is a Kasabian book which I shot the cover to (below).
More news and photographs very soon.

More on me, work, etc...

I think a useful thing about me writing here is that it gives me an opportunity to show some work that isn't on my portfolio website. I shoot all of the time so only a fraction of my photos get put into my portfolios of course.
These are a few portraits I shot last year of James Tyler (American musician, performs & records on lute, viol, and mandolin). They were shot in Los Angeles and were only just published, so I can put them up now. This is one of the first shoots I did completely digital, and the magazine wanted the feature in B&W, which helped my shoot (and transition) a little as its colour I'm finding most difficult with digital, I still want the colour to look like it was shot on film.


These first two portraits were shot in his home, the first just sitting in his living room, the second in his study. Both were lit using just the natural light. I like his glasses being on the table in the second.


I think four or five portraits ran with the interview. This one below didn't however so this is the only place you'll see it, for now at least, and this is one of my favourites from the shoot. Shot near his home in LA, I can't explain why I like this so much but it just works for me.


Anyway, thats a few portraits from that shoot. I'll post some other stuff soon. Its just that images have to run where they are commissioned first. Also some work gets added to the site so theres no point me putting it here too but I will from time to time post a few images here that don't go on the website.
M.

Happy New Year (belated, I know)

Happy New Year (belated)
I know its been awhile since I posted but I took a long Christmas break, catching up with friends & family etc. Also my brother came back from NZ for Christmas, he moved there in January last year. So I was able to spend some time with him too.
But I’m finally back to work now after my break. Hope you had a great Christmas & New Year.

The stupider it is, the better it looks.

'I don't try to overintellectualize my concepts of people. In fact, the ideas I have, if you talk about them, they seem extremely corny and it's only in their execution that people can enjoy them... It's something I've learned to trust: The stupider it is, the better it looks.' -- Annie Leibovitz

Control.

This week I saw 'Control', Anton Corbijn's first full film. Anton has directed many music video's over the last 20 years but this was his first feature length film. Anton is of course better known as a photographer, one of the few real legends, and he's photographed everyone over the last 30 years. But for me it was more personal, Anton was one of the photographers that really influenced me when I was starting. He was also the first person I contacted to meet when I first moved to London. I met him at his home and spent the afternoon showing him some of my work, getting any advice I could, and talking about photography, music, and Andy Warhol (he'd just bought a print).
I've had contact with Anton a few times since then, and can say he's not only a great photographer, and director, but also a really nice guy.
Secondly I've always loved Joy Division's music, so I was looking forward to Control, and it didn't disappoint. I think maybe the greatest thing you can want from a music biography is the feeling that it brings you somehow closer to those who made the music, and Control manages this. Its a great film, a real achievement. Go see.

Actually as I'm talking film, while I was in the US last week I went to see American Gangster, another great film, really worth seeing.