Dizzee Rascal Portraits;

I was watching The South Bank Show on Sky Arts this week, the episode was all about UK Grime music. It was an interesting documentary on the origins of the sound and interviews with its pioneers, including Dizzee Rascal. I photographed Dizzee Rascal in 2004 in London around the time of his debut album 'Boy in da Corner'. I'd loved his track 'Fix Up, Look Sharp', with its edgy sound and attitude, it felt like London, it wasn't trying to be American - the UK now had a young rapper who could compete with anyone and had his own voice. Dizzee was still young but you could tell from his music and from talking with him that he'd seen a lot already.
This documentary came at a funny moment as in the same week I'd been sorting through my portraits of Dizzee as I was re-editing a lot of my work for my new website (going live in a couple of weeks). Only two of these have been seen much before, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to show the portraits here as an expanded set.

Dizzee Rascal, London © Michael Robert Williams

 

 

mx

April News;

Time I think for an update of what I've been up to recently. There has been a number of interesting shoots over recent weeks, mainly music based. A few recent shoots include music legend Joan Armatrading, US group Crocodiles, and new artists Man Like Me. I'll post some new work here soon.

I've been taking lots of snaps with Instagram too, seems I'm a convert.

In my downtime personally I'm very happy to have Mad Men back on the TV, one of my favourite shows. I'm enjoying Game of Thrones too, and started watching Friday Night Lights from the beginning.

Violet Hill, London, April 2012 © Michael Robert Williams

February News;

Daytona Lights © Michael Robert Williams

February just kinda flew by, some shoots but also so much time spent on the website / promo material. Many late nights, lots of coffee / wine & much music listened to. Edit is now pretty much done, but still the build to complete. Still hoping to be finished and online in March sometime.

Listening to a lot of Bowie, The Horrors, Arcade Fire, Lana Del Rey, and Depeche Mode. Saw Cloud Control's show in London too. Also good to read a lot of good things about Daytona Lights recently, I shot them a while ago (above), really nice guys.

Saw 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' and loved the new version as much as the original, maybe more - David Fincher is one of my favourite directors. Must admit I'm excited too that Mad Men returns soon.

Lastly, this is a recent portrait, I photographed Tim Jackson (author, economist, and founder of RESOLVE), for Australian magazine 'In The Black' - see, I don't only photograph musicians :P

Tim Jackson © Michael Robert Williams

M.

News; December 2010 - Happy Holidays.

I hope everyone's having a great Christmas. I'm away for the holidays, spending most of the Christmas period with family in the North West. Already eaten far too much and drinking even more - every Christmas I think to myself I'll be more careful this time... Oh well, next year...
I'm having a longer break this Christmas, I had my last shoot of the year, a portrait of Carl Barat, mid-December then left London. I love the Christmas holidays, everything shuts down and I get real time off to see friends and family. I get to sleep in, and watch lots of films too. I don't even mind the repeated movies that are on every year - I'm a big film fan and a lot of films I like are usually on during the holidays, and I certainly don't mind Casablanca being on again - I'm a huge Bogart fan.

So I'm basically;
Drinking lots of red wine, vodka, and cocktails.
Listening to Laura Marling, Lissie, Gaslight Anthem, Fleetwood Mac, Arcade Fire... Hmmm noticing a kinda sound there.
Watching lots of movies, and Californication (I love this show and had season one for Christmas so I'm watching it again). Oh, but I would like back the time I spent watching the awful Case 39, I don't often mention dislikes here but that was the worst film I've seen in ages and thought I'd warn others. There, good deed done!

I'm off to do more visiting & drinking :)
Have a great New Years celebration!

Michael

News & Stuff - September;

The Temper Trap, 2009 © Michael Robert Williams

I've been quiet here and not posting much over the past month but I've been busy working. I'll post a lot of new portraits from recent shoots soon once they're out there. This portrait above is an outtake from a very fast recent shoot with The Temper Trap. We had about 2 minutes on a rooftop before the rain suddenly came pouring down. I've been doing a lot of shoots inside with lights over the past few months, then the day I head out to shoot again it rains. Gotta love English weather. What happened to the summer............

This is another portrait from the session with Speech Debelle. I went back over the session and found this portrait that I'd edited out first time around but now really like.

Speech Debelle, 2009 © Michael Robert Williams

When not working I've been listening to & loving Brendan Benson's new album, and track 'I Am Not A Robot' by Marina & the Diamonds, and Wild Beasts, and The XX, and lots of 1970's Bowie albums :)
Also watched Season 2 of True Blood (current favourite show), and new Californication.
Great shows.
Mx

News & Stuff...

I've been a little quiet with posts recently but I have been busy working. I photographed Darker My Love, Adam Ficek, Will and the People, Ou Est, and a bunch of other new bands over recent weeks. I'll post some portraits here once they are published and out there...

Outside of working I've been trying not to think about the economy. I've been listening to Cat Power, Bat For Lashes, and lots of Tom Waits recently.
And watching box sets of old Northern Exposure. I used to love that show when it was on, I remember watching it on 4 in the 90's. It doesn't seem as surreal now as it did then but still loving it - One of the best TV shows ever :)