Every now and then a project comes along that takes you back to why you picked up a camera in the first place. Outreach at 50 did exactly that for me.

Professor Robert Winston — clinician, scientist, and long-standing champion of science communication and outreach

Imperial College London have been running their outreach programme for half a century (which makes me feel both young and old at the same time…), and to mark the anniversary I was asked to create a series of environmental portraits of the people who make it all happen. Over the course of a year, I photographed fifty subjects — staff, students, alumni, and teachers — each one with their own story, their own space, and their own spark.

This is my favourite type of photography. No pyrotechnics, no elaborate set builds — just me, a subject, a bit of space, and that brilliant, unpredictable dance between photographer and sitter. That’s always been the joy of portraiture for me: working a person out, nudging them this way and that, and slowly finding the version of them that feels honest. Sometimes it’s in the laugh you weren’t expecting, sometimes in the moment they relax and forget the camera is even there.

It reminded me how much fun it is to play that game — all my time at The Independent on Sunday was full of these portraits, looking for ways to shape an image that feels like the subject. There’s something really satisfying about the challenge: can I, in a single frame, say something real about who this person is.

Sir Robin Grimes — Professor of Materials Physics; specialist in nuclear energy and science diplomacy.

Miina Ruohonen — former Community Engagement Manager for Imperial Outreach, leading volunteering and civic-engagement work.

Vittoria Dessì — 4th-year Civil Engineering student, Student Ambassador and outreach advocate supporting STEM Potential, Summer Schools and the Maker Challenge.

Jad Marrouche — alumnus and outreach contributor, formerly part of the Pimlico Connection tutoring scheme.

Vanessa Madu — PhD student in Modern Statistics & Statistical Machine Learning at Imperial; researching ocean surface currents.

The portraits were eventually brought together in an exhibition at Imperial College on Exhibition Road. Walking into the space and seeing the images lining the walls was a proud moment — not just for me, but for everyone whose stories and faces filled the room.

Outreach at 50 celebrated with a special exhibition at Imperial College on Exhibition Road — bringing together portraits, stories, and the people who’ve shaped five decades of inspiring young minds.

A huge thank you to the team at Imperial who made this project such a joy to be part of. In particular, Ellie Cawthera, whose vision and energy pulled it all together so brilliantly, and also Melanie Bottrill and Corrine Hanlon for their support every step of the way. It really was a team effort — and I’m very proud to have played my part.

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Premier foods, the company behind the humble OXO and many more well known brands commissioned me to shoot the cover of their annual report last month. After some considerable production we booked a couple of kitchen sets and brought in our models. The concept was “Get Britain Cooking Again” a simple idea that I can relate to having had to relearn the basics to feed the kids during the past 12 months on and off in lockdown. 

I love shooting for annual reports; it’s becoming a speciality. They’re generally considered to be the most important document in a company’s year and the CEO will have a sharp eye on them. That attention to detail filters through to comms teams trying to breath life into what is essentially a financial document.

We had a fantastic team on site, prepping models, styling the food efficiently and mocking up the pages of the report that were sent across to the client live throughout the day. 

Noodles were fried, chillis were chopped and children were pacified by iPads cunningly placed just out of shot. Apparently an OXO cube just won’t do anymore…kids these days!

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As I chugged out into the freezing darkness at 6am; Neil the skipper of About Time was in sombre mood. Bad weather had kept him and his 30 year old boat at home since New Year. Staring into the ships GPS he tells me “we’d have been better off with no deal – at least we’d get our waters back”

Late last year one of the big sticking points in Brexit negotiations was the fishing industry and the 12 miles of English water off the coast which have been shared by European fisherman since the 1973. “The Deal” is a complex thing but now I understand what it actually means for people like Neil. 

The much hyped rhetoric is actually nothing more than smoke and mirrors; reality is that nothing much will change until 2026. The issue for British fishermen is that the market has plummeted as European demand vanished on New Years Day. Quotas for UK boats are still small, so small that sizeable investment is unfeasible. If feels like this might be an industry and way of life that will be swept away like so many others in the next few years.

Meanwhile; my issues were more immediate. I was sick. I knew it was coming, I didn’t even manage the ferry on our last family holiday. The tablets didn’t work and there isn’t really a way to save face when it’s just three of you on a small boat. Naturally there was some banter, as I went very quiet back on the bridge but the guys were great fun and I soon picked up. I just had to accept that I was going to have a long day.

The nets were cast and there was nothing else to do but wait for three hours as we made our way across the sea. The boys gave me the heads up when it was time to bring the nets in so I had a pre-preemptive purge in preparation and readied myself for the catch. As a huge net of fish is lifted aboard by the rig the activity becomes frenetic. Neil and his deck-crew, Nathan, get straight to work sorting and gutting the fish. Lots go back into the sea; either because of their size or if the species doesn’t really make commercial sense to fish.

Much as we left the Quay we also arrived in darkness after a full 12 hours. Exhausted and stinking of fish I called Mrs.Jason to tell her I’d be late. “Don’t worry” she says “Pick up some fish and chips on your way home!”

Big thanks to Neil and Nathan for having me, I’ll never forget it! And also for the commission from Rob at Bloomberg.

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It’s interesting that messaging has become such a priority for companies, especially in recruitment. Graduates want to know much more than what their starting salary will be; they want to understand a company’s philosophy and what they are doing to protect the environment. Pushing to decarbonise the energy system is something that has been fundamental to National Grid for a few years now, it’s a message that is now at the forefront of everything they do and something that I have incorporated into my shoots for them.

The brief focussed on the subjects as individuals and we incorporated locations that expressed their lives outside of work. That meant lightning challenges in dimly lit gyms and arcades with fluorescent lighting. There’s nothing I like more than turning up in a location that is pretty much un-shootable and using my lights to make it sing. I’ve been getting a kick out of it for the past 17 years!

My four subjects were all equally impressive. They came from different areas of the business, working as engineers, project managers and IT techs. The common theme – they knew what they wanted from a potential career at an early age, something that was rare amongst my peers when I started out as a photographer. That’s reassuring isn’t it.

With special thanks to Hurricane media and Andy Chivers for production.

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A month ago I was asked by Imperial college to contribute to their Shifting the Lens campaign. The project focussed on staff and students from ethnic minority backgrounds at the college.

I’ve worked with the team at imperial for many years but this time I was directly collaborating with their college photographer, the very talented Thomas Angus. After the obligatory Zoom meeting we were asked to photograph environmental portraits that in some way expressed the heritage of our sitters.

Normally when I work for Imperial I shoot business students in a lecture hall’s or people working on doctorates in a labs. This time round everyone was working from home so location hunting became the biggest challenge. It reminded me of my newspaper days – turning up at someones doorstep without a plan; just a camera and a smile.

It’s a really interesting dynamic; you’ve never met your subject and the objective is to draw something out of them and make them relax whilst operating a camera and trying to stop your lights falling over. They often have an idea of how they want to be seen; which can be both good and bad.

In contrast to newspaper photography; everyone here wanted to be photographed – they were engaged and happy to let me lean them against derelict buildings and shipping containers. For me the best thing about photography is the interaction it generates. Above all, I hope it is back to stay.

>>No hands were shaken in the production of these images<<

For the full Shifting the Lens campaign click here. Special thanks to Martha Salhorta for her dedication in producing these shoots.

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Last month I packed up the car and drove to Barry Island with my partner in crime, Art Director Keith Waterfield to shoot, friend and comedian Vix Leyton.

I’ve known Vix for years (her alter-ego works in PR). Being a bit of a firebrand she took the plunge and tried her hand at standup to get over a fear of public speaking. So with at mission in mind, one thing lead to another and she’s becoming big news, really big news.

I love a bit of standup too and once went to the Edinburgh Fringe and blagged my way onto an improv comedy playing Barry White… Strange but true. After that my affinity with comedy never waned, although now I save it for my 5 year old. Because portraits are my thing and there haven’t been many this year so I was really excited to put the team together and and make something really good!

After linking up Vix and Keith at his new agency 1440, we settled on a concept for her new online show; Comedy Arcade. But clearly we needed an arcade…  and with Vix’s connections that meant a visit to the Welsh riviera which gave Keith and I opportunity for McDonalds fuelled road trip.

The location was perfect, full bore, neon kitsch! Checking off the shot list wasn’t an issue, the place was a dream to shoot. Co-incidentally it was also one of the locations used for Gavin and Stacy,  so I picked up a cheeky anniversary present for Mrs.Jason while I was there.  – it wasn’t well received.

On set we were joined by Colin Wilson (2 x art directors… spoilt!!) and once we kept him off the games everything just really meshed. I’ve known these two for ages and that familiarity means we can just be really direct with each other. We tried all sorts and got super creative with the environment. Personally I really enjoy having a second pair of eyes on a shoot to look at the details and let me focus on getting the most out of the subject. Enter vix, a vision in yellow.

She owned it. Remember that she got into this because of a fear of public speaking… well… she was brilliant to shoot. Loads of energy and super playful, sometimes everything just clicks!

Thanks to Keith and Colin at Studio1440

And to Vix – go get ‘em!! Check out her shows here.

Big thanks for the location too – Fun Harbour in Barry.

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Everything has changed since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. The economy is adapting and every business in the world has had to make changes as the entire population has either been at home or stopped spending. 

During lockdown as work faded I started speaking to my contacts about how they can could communicate Covid19 visually.  This is a point in history that won’t go away; one that will eventually need to be demonstrated to stakeholders and employees. How can we maintain a companies culture whilst also justifying changes in the way it operates.

Over the past five years, the bulk of my work has been commercial photography; predominantly for corporate communications; allowing businesses to tell their stories to customers, staff and corporate stakeholders. Demonstrating how company’s can adapt offers a real opportunity to build on the integrity and ethos of a business?

One client that really bought into this idea was security company G4S. Their work during the pandemic has seen them look after security at both Nightingale hospital sites and Covid test centres. Clearly; they had an integral role in the country’s response to the pandemic.

I visited three sites for them during lockdown; with a focus on Manchester’s Nightingale hospital and a Covid19 testing site next to the Etihad stadium. I didn’t have access inside but I didn’t need it; having covered the testing sites editorially I was pleased to be welcomed rather than roaming the perimeter hoping for a picture on a long lens. Press access has been very limited during the pandemic, which has been a disappointment for myself and many colleagues that work for the newspapers.

It’s hard to draw positives from what has been such a difficult year, but if there are any it’s that we are coming out the other side and we’re still looking out for each other. I think being part of that network is something to be very proud of.

Thanks to the good people at G4S for the commissions. You know who you are.

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I love airports, they mark the start of an adventure, but this visit wasn’t like any trip I’d been on before. All the Gatwick shops were shut apart from Boots and the number of travellers was probably equal to the amount of airport staff feverishly snapping on rubber gloves and sanitising handrails. Once I was onboard, my row on the flight was completely empty which made a total mockery of the “speedy boarding” upgrade.

It was my first trip away since the Pandemic. I fear that the lovely commissions jetting around the world might have dried up for a while but I did take great relief in this long awaited shoot photographing the oil rigs at Cromarty Firth, just North of Inverness. The Firth is used to dock and repair oil platforms, hulking structures reaching out of the sea against the rugged highland backdrop. Business hasn’t been great for the oil industry either so the plan was to use these images to illustrate changes in the oil price over the coming months.

Because of limited flights I was committed to a 2 day window and sure enough the weather had closed in to a dour drizzle as I touched down. The next day looked allot better so I braced myself for an early start and headed out for sunrise at 4:15 AM. It was gorgeous, I launched the drone from an empty beech.

I knew I was on borrowed time weather wise so my early start became a marathon day as I made my way right around the Firth (about 60 miles) and went right up on the headland with no-one but a few sheep for company.

When I approach a shoot like this I usually have a sort of shot list in my head that I try to achieve. This time I was left looking for some softer, more “featurey” looking pictures, something less focussed on the rigs that incorporated the environment. As luck would have it I found one lurking on a corner as a woman was putting up her washing right on the sea front, you have to take your opportunity when it presents itself so I jumped out of the car, introduced myself and took a few pictures – apparently I wasn’t the first either!

The early start was equally matched by a late finish as I waited for the sun to set it was nearly 11pm. I was still trying to illustrate the villages around the Firth so I found a spot behind some old fishing boats and waited. It felt like a fitting end to a very long day which reminded me what I’d been missing during lockdown, I bloody love my job.

All Images Copyright Bloomberg News 2020. With thanks to Port of Cromarty Firth for drone permissions and Rob Dawson for the commission.

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At work I thrive on people; I’ve always said that I enjoy meeting people and finding out about them more than I enjoy taking pictures. To an extent the privilege of a press pass has afforded me at least some travel for work but the constant stream of portraits are gone for the time being so I’m finding ways to do things at a safer social distance; somewhere between 6ft and 400ft…!

Last year (on a bit of a whim) I decided to get a drone. My thinking – apart from it being fun, was that allot of my corporate clients would really benefit from it and that I could shoot big heavy industry from the sky.

As it turns out, it wasn’t that simple. After plenty of practice and many hours of study online I managed to get myself a PfCO (permission for commercial operation) which means I’m safe and importantly can say I’m a professional drone operator.

Clearly I didn’t see the Covid19 pandemic coming. I remember first hearing about it at The World Economic Forum in January when my editor told me to “hose down” the Chinese President because of a virus that was emerging (Thanks Rob).   5months on and all of a sudden that licence is carrying allot more weight!

Last week; I was commissioned by Bloomberg News to take Doris (the drone) to East London and shoot stills and video of Canary Wharf, London City Airport and The Nightingale Hospital (The Excel).

The whole area is normally a no-fly zone; but I asked for permission from London City Airport who are currently closed got the drone unlocked by the manufacturer. Even better, it was a beautifully clear day, I’ve really noticed how crisp everything is now that theres no traffic pollution.

I now have several more drone projects in the pipeline and am looking to integrate aerial photography into my work. Hopefully I’ll get some people back soon but until then I will happily continue to personify consumer electronics – go Doris!!

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In all that time; nothing has shaped the feeling on the streets like the events of the past month. The coronavirus has hit hard, it’s changed our way of life on an immeasurable scale and forced people from the streets. The impact on the economy has seen markets plummet leaving the financial landscape looking desolate; just like the street’s of The City in lockdown.

For the past week I have been documenting the City for Bloomberg News. As lockdown started a week ago commuters were still coming in but in all honesty as I walked the streets yesterday the numbers had dropped significantly and I was struggling to find people to give scale to the images.

Navigating one way systems, bus lanes and traffic lights is normally one of the most arduous commutes known to man. The drop in road traffic and pedestrians only somewhat mitigates the toil. People who have ventured into the city are either jogging, en route to work or hurrying to the nearest supermarket – faces covered in scarves or masks.

It’s so surreal to be walking the empty streets at the moment. The population of pecking pigeons normally found outside Lloyds accompanied only by loan smokers. With every shop’s shutters closed, lunchtime midweek almost feels like 07:00 on a Sunday.

Things have changed, I began bringing a bike in with me as it’s the easiest way to get around, my camera bag now contains hand-gel, face masks and rubber gloves. I keep my press card at the ready for the inevitable police checks. It’s a far cry from the freedom I’ve enjoyed for my entire career.

These are strange times and I’m privileged to be able to record them for the future. Stay safe everyone.

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