…Since I’ve posted here or put up any images to the site.
In between re-locating and settling in, having a faulty server and doing some valuable assisting, I thought it was time for an update.
So, not much shooting done myself over the last month or so but I’ve worked on some great jobs as an assistant. With Joe Miles, I worked on a shoot for Fulham FC, shooting portraits of Jonathan Greening and Zoltan Gera for the club magazine. After months trying to assist Andy Fallon, I was lucky enough to help him out shooting commercial portraits with Ray Mears, some band portraits for Sub Bubble Recording’s and the Innercity Pirates. To top that off, this week I assisted him on a cover and feature shoot for NME Magazine (cant say who with as yet), which, I have to say was the highlight of my working career so far.
As for the remaining week before Christmas, I’ll be doing more assisting for a US production company, working on some commercial portraiture in and around London. Lets hope the end of 2010 is a sign of things to come in 2011!
If I don’t get chance to post again in the next couple of weeks, I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
I shot for INQ on Sat 9th, as part of their sponsorship of the Carphone Warehouse annual staff event. Guests were invited to the black tie/fancy dress party with Alice in Wonderland and Urban themed fun and games. Punters had the option to have their picture taken, which would be uploaded to Facebook, ready for them to tag and give them the chance to win prizes. With 8-10,000 people through the doors at London’s ExCel, it was non-stop shooting until the early hours of Sunday morning. I look forward to working with the INQ team again in the near future!
The Owl and Pussycat in Shoreditch has had an amazing refurb and was subsequently opened this weekend by the guys that run The Lock Tavern and The Amersham Arms, among other cool London venues. I was at the pre-opening event on Thursday night, to shoot the interiors and Launch party antics. I look forward to visiting the venue as a punter some time soon!
“Any man who goes to bed before twelve is a scoundrel”, so say The Black Dove on St James’s St, Brighton. That quote, slightly adapted from one by poet, Samuel Johnson, is the motto of Brighton’s coolest drinking den and with opening hours of ‘four till late’, it seems to have relevance. I love it when bars inform of a closing time of ‘late’. It’s a little vague but suggests some flexibility should one desire to drink into the early hours.
The bar is a visual and audio treat, with 2 floors of cosy but cluttered space and vintage artefacts adorning the walls and floors. The music policy is just as eclectic and simultaneously vintage, offering everything from rockabilly to blues, jazz to dub and soul through to contemporary house and disco.
The drinks are different from your average boozing den too, with Sheppy’s award winning ciders, cotswold lager, international pale ales, organic wines and cocktails.
I’ve suddenly decided I don’t want to be a scoundrel…
A walk around Beachy Head on the Sussex coast is not only both beautiful and peaceful, the large white cliffs, gentle breeze and calm sea…
Beachy Head
Take a hike (spot the nutter taking photos from the edge in the background!)
Taking in the view
On The Edge
Lighthouse
However, the scenic spot is also slightly eerie, in the knowledge that it plays host to an average of 20 suicide attempts a year, dating back to the 17th century.
Flowers left as a mark of respect for several suicide jumpers.
While we were out finding appropriate settings for my work with Paul Normansell, Lina and I shot this image on Brighton Pier. The electric blue colours of the sea and clothing, the coastal scenery along with a retro finish, gives it a riviera-esque feel. I like this image a lot and more pleasingly, so does Lina!
So, its been a while since I updated here but since the last post, I’ve been shooting a variety of images from interiors, to product shots but more interestingly I’ve started a couple of people based projects.
The first one, I’m looking into Britain’s binge drinking culture and producing a set of portraits of self confessed binge drinkers. The image below is one of four that I’ve shot so far, with several more to shoot in the coming weeks.
31 years old, 60 units, 2 days.
The second project is my ongoing collaboration with Paul Normansell. As before I will produce several photographs which he will then paint in his signature figurative style. This time we’ve used Roland Barthes’ ‘A Lovers Discourse’ as a base and shot images to reflect some of his thoughts on the language of love. More to follow on that in the coming few days, once we’ve confirmed our final edit.
I’m off to shoot some more interiors this avo, as much as I love to work with people, there’s something soothing about shooting nice looking spaces in your own time. I better charge the Ipod!
Mr Fogg invited me to travel with his band to Reading last friday, to shoot his set on the BBC Introducing stage. The electro pop artist made the most of performing in his home county, by bringing on a marching band to close the set. It was subsequently shown on the BBC. Not only a great bit of PR but it sounded great too!
Introducing...
Live, for the BBC
Brass section
Flying the Fogg
Backstage interview with BBC Berkshire
Check out the performance on BBC Music: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/festivals/readingandleeds/2010/artists/mrfogg/
No ID is Ian Davies, a Birmingham and London-based photographer specialising in music, social events, portrait, fashion, commercial and experiential marketing photography.
