Little Diamonds

This year is vanishing far too quickly - how did it get to May already?!!?
My sister gets married in two weeks. I keep thinking its way off but its nearly here. I'll go back home for a week or so again.
Work-wise its been mainly music again recently.
There are a lot of really interesting new artists right now in the UK and I've been lucky enough to photograph a few of them over recent weeks. I've shot portraits of Little Boots, Marina & the Diamonds, A1 Bassline, and Speech Debelle. Marina's 'I Am Not A Robot' is brilliant! I've been listening to it a lot, it makes me smile :)
I also photographed the lovely DJ and presenter Annie Mac at Koko (maybe my favourite music venue in London).
One of my portraits of A1 Bassline is the only one of these recent portraits that I can post yet but more will come soon.

A1 Bassline, 2009 © Michael Robert Williams

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 :)

'Most portraits are lies.'

'Most portraits are lies. People are rarely what they appear to be, especially in front of a camera.'
-- Duane Michals.

Recent Work; 'White Lies' and others...

White Lies, 2009 © Michael Robert Williams

These are two of the portraits from the recent shoot with the White Lies. The shoot went really well and I'm really happy with the results. I love the lighting on the first portrait.
Really enjoyed their album. Really nice guys to work with too.

White Lies, 2009 © Michael Robert Williams

Below is one of the portraits from the shoot with the Howling Bells. I've photographed the Howling Bells before, about two years ago, but I prefer the portraits I shot this time.
Last portrait is of brand new group Gold Teeth, whose single 'Everybody' is released this month.
Could be a great year for them.
It seems I'm having a colour & flash phase...

Howling Bells © Michael Robert Williams


Gold Teeth © Michael Robert Williams

'You have got all that stuff out there...'

'Photography is so entwined in my life. It’s like anything else. You have got all that stuff out there and you only allow so much into your frame. It’s the same thing. Every word in the world is out there and somebody puts 15 of them together and makes something that somebody else wouldn’t make.
If 50 years of doing it meant that every time you picked up the camera you made a good one you wouldn’t have to take many. I make a lot of stupid pictures. Most of them are stupid because I’m trying to figure where to be or where to focus. I don’t think the problems are any different now. I grow wiser as time passes only because I know a little bit more about what is possible, only because I’ve done it for so long. I am used to being a craftsman. But maybe it’s not that. Maybe it’s infatuation.'
-- Lee Friedlander, 2002.

Cramps Founder Lux Interior Dies.

Lux Interior © Michael Robert Williams

I just found out the sad news that Lux Interior, singer and founding member of legendary punk group The Cramps, died this week.
I photographed Lux a few years ago, with his wife and co-founder of The Cramps Poison Ivy.
He was a fascinating person. Music has lost one of its real characters and pioneers.

'Rock ’n’ roll has absolutely nothing to do with music. It’s much more than music. Rock ’n’ roll is who you are.'
- Lux Interior. 1946 - 2009.

Recent Work; 'Cage The Elephant' Portraits

Brad & Matt, Cage The Elephant, London © Michael Robert Williams

These are a couple of portraits from the shoot late last year with Cage the Elephant. It was a very short shoot, outdoors in London. Late in the day, no lights, no stylist, back to basics - but the top portrait of the two brothers is one of my favourites of my own from recent months I think.

Cage The Elephant, London © Michael Robert Williams