Photos by Phoenix

Academic conclusions

It’s about time I put the other shots of Thomas Dolby up. Sorry it’s been a while, but I’ve been back and forth a bit ever since. Several concerts and rapid changes of barometric pressure later and my ears, teeth and sinuses don’t what hit them, and it takes me almost a minute when I wake up to know where the hell I am. Anyway… Thomas did two shows in London: the first at the ICA to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, and the second at Islington’s Academy, to celebrate, I feel, or perhaps to substantiate his return to England.

He commented on the show last year at the Scala, his first since ’92, which seemed to have been a realisation moment for him that there were still a ‘hard core’ of fans in the UK and Europe that would traverse the flat earth to see him live. There was a lot of that atmosphere about the Academy gig in Islington to reinforce that earlier observation, and indeed many of the same fans.

He could not have had much doubt by the end of the concert that any release of new material would be very well received. It was also clear that while everyone enjoys the hits immensely, many of the more thoughtful tracks were the ones that had affected people deeply, with a quieter and more subtle communication passing between writer and listener. This seemed to please Dolby as much as it pleased me, and bodes well for such tracks on any forthcoming release. It must be a great feeling to know that there are people who will really listen to what you put into a song; what an encouragement to express something honest and worthwhile. There will always be 3 minute pop hits, but the audience for them is now far from pivotal, and there are so many equally populated and supportive genres. It’s a good scene.

The show itself felt assured, less on tenterhooks than the ICA, which makes sense, having been road tested. The lighting was better (which pleased me no end) if still a little primary – beginning : blue; songs about hot sauce : red; subaquatic themes : green. I would love to have seen more use made of projections – why not more than one screen? Why not use the stage and musicians as a backdrop? Mix in the images from Thomas’ headcam? Stacks of 50s TVs? Lots of scope for rich visuals there, and the music lends itself so well to dramatic and atmospheric technologies.

But I learned from my experience of the ‘primary’ burnout of the lighting at the first gig, so I was prepared this time with tricks up my sleeve. I hope some of the images bear this out. Most of all I’m looking forward to setting a couple of shots up in the near future. I have one or two ideas… we didn’t get a chance to shoot anything in the afternoon before the gig as the possibility came up for some old friends to play that night, and the afternoon was needed for rehearsal.

First up were Thomas’ first touring band members circa Flat Earth era, guitarist Kevin Armstrong and bassist Matthew Seligman. Personally great to finally meet Matthew to whom I’m musically linked by 2 degrees of separation (but that’s another story!).

Joyful bonus of the night was Lene Lovich, in full regalia. What can I say?! Clearly worth celebrating, as TD’s headgear testifies. A few old mates of mine were there too… great to see you all, guys, it completed what I can only describe as another magical evening, and I even made the last tube home.

History and Geography

Landscape is all about time; so it’s about time I returned to my landscape. I bought a huge scanner a year ago, partly with the intention of going through all my old negs and creating digital files from them. It’s a testament to how little time I’ve spent at home this year that I’ve only scanned a handful so far.

But I’m excited about the project. I haven’t had a good look at these photographs for years. Many years, in some cases. They’ve become foreign landscapes now, and the young man who took them a stranger to me. I’m interested to see what still touches or excites me, and what has now drifted too far out into time’s ocean.

Quite often when I sit down to share some photos on this blog a theme emerges as I write. This time, though, each photograph is what it is. I could find themes, but essentially this is a project in process; I’ll be adding to it as I snatch moments to scan more shots so themes may not be apparent, or may emerge much later in the process.

And, more than at any time before, I’m baring my soul. Or certainly the state of my soul when I took each photograph. When I collaborate with someone for their portrait I hope always to reveal a little of their soul, a little of what makes them unique. When I’m out in nature or the city what I choose to connect with and the way I see it reveals my own soul, whether I will it or not. And ‘out there’ is where I find my awe, where I connect with the numinous. It’s what made me take pictures in the first place, and keeps me taking them.

So perhaps with that in mind I should let each image stand for itself and just tell you a little about the background to each one.

Two hairy blokes, one Escort estate with dodgy headlamps and a quest to get to Scotland for new year. I had flu and didn't think i'd make it. Freezing rain as we left London, then as we forged into Hertfordshire the sun broke through the dark grey mass of clouds in golden beams and Hendrix hit the radio. All along the watchtower. 16 hours later, our alcohol, cigarettes, film and hearing depleted we pulled into a carpark in heavy loch mist. We just couldn't see to drive anymore, couldn't see the carpark, or the surroundings, or the sign saying 'No Overnight Parking'. I woke up, and took the primus stove outside to make some tea. As the water boiled, some of the mist and cloud cleared and I stood up and looked across the road. This was the scene. Glenfinnan. Jacobites and all that. Another life, but this one feels close by, still. On the way home I shot Glencoe with my free hand and '51 Leica at 75mph, and we found Espedair Street. Rock and Roll.

In transit through Iceland. 4th January, as I recall, on a disastrous but heroic trip to meet my true love in Canada. Sure, it's on the way. Something like 4 hours daylight a day, and a blizzard on one of them. Awesome place, it has unique soul. I only spent a few days there, but i know it's somewhere i could make my home. I've found some negs of the blizzard - I'll scan them in soon.

Merlin's Cave, Tintagel. Where Merlin (allegedly) lived at the time when King Arthur (allegedly) held court here. Cold, tidally wet throughout and with a freezing through draft, he'd have been mental to have actually lived in here. I've slept in the caves opposite, but I can pretty much guarantee this cave got it's name from the victorian tourist office. But put that aside and breathe in the feel of the place, and the mystical atmosphere fills your lungs, heart and mind. Maybe Merlin slept in the caves opposite and used this one as his magickal office.... One day, when the island collapses, all this will be no more. Come and see it while you can.

The long cold ride home from visiting my girlfriend in Putney all those years ago. This really is another lifetime... on a pushbike cutting through Richmond Park at Robin Hood Gate, through the dark and the mist with useless lights, and out the other end, back home to Strawberry Hill, and a couple of hours kip before college next morning. I remember a shape looming out of the mist and shadows at the top of a rise, on the path beneath a tree, blocking my way: a fully grown stag in the rutting season. It opened it's mouth and a sound I cannot describe filled the park for a moment before the mist swallowed it up. We faced each other for twenty minutes before it left the path and I made it over the rise. I looked around just in case it was waiting for me, but it had completely disappeared. I'll never forget that sound.

Ok, I lied; a theme is emerging. Freezing cold. A beach in Aberdeen (which must be Gaelic for hypothermia). I went to a college with no halls of residence or any real student community to speak of, and completed my course a year or two before most of my friends, so I was at work while they were having a University Experience. Feeling I'd missed out, I'd go visit them whenever I could get time off work. This was one such visit. No sleep on the night train up to Aberdeen; greygreen twilight landscape and Marillion on the walkman, then suddenly a blazing dawn for 3 minutes as the sun broke golden above the waters of the Forth as we crossed the bridge. Then gone into grey cuttings again. Then some student times, and not a trace of respite. This was taken on the third morning, high on sleep deprivation. (Allegedly.) A cold dawn and I'd gone for a walk because I'd hit the point where i actually couldn't sleep. It was as tranquil and washed out as it looks. In that other life I spent a lot of time walking about in the early hours on my own. This image is one of only two I still have hanging on my wall, leftovers from exhibitions over a decade ago. There's a depth and soul to it when photographically printed that seems to have reserved its wallspace.

Venice on my 25th birthday. Shot with a compact camera that I was using earlier today. I was in Nice and needed somewhere warm to sleep (ok, another theme emerging, I grant you) so I went to the station to see if there were any night trains. This made total sense when I was a 24-year-old bohemian. There was one going to Vienna, but all my clothes were in a launderette and wouldn't be dry in time for that one. The other one went to Venice. Cool, I thought. I'll wake up in Venice on my birthday. And I did. Magical; the first time I'd been there. I still think it's the most beautiful city in the world. I froze my assets off coming through there on the way back to Prague from Cannes in January this year, and it blew me away again. I've decided to live there for a year when I write my second novel...

And yes, this was on the same stay in Venice, on my birthday, too, i think. The cat was ginger, and so was the upper storey of the building against which it was perched. I hand tinted a black and white print of this, and I'm not sure what became of it. Maybe i should do another.

Well, that's made a start. More autobiographical than I had expected it to be, but perhaps that's the nature of these kinds of shots. More coming soon!

Corporate Exposure

Having written about the glamour, drama and music sides of recent work, I guess it’s time to look at what appears prima facie to be the other side of the coin: corporate work. You know, ho hum, bit dull, but pays the bills and we’ve all got to do it; can’t be hobnobbing with pop stars all the time.

But here’s the thing: I actually really enjoy it.

I’m lucky really, in that I get to work a fair bit for a financial magazine that prides itself on its photographic edginess and high production values, so it’s certainly not suits behind desks. They like a bit of movement, context and character. Nonetheless, I think I still manage to freak them out a little sometimes….!

The truth is, we all like to look good. And part of the fun of that is to push the boundaries a little sometimes, to see how we could look. Why not apply a little of the glamour, drama or rock and roll to the world of business?

I look through corporate accounts and marketing publications now and then and most of them bore me stupid. They’re so slick, so worried about offending the sensibilities of anyone at all, or showing any hint of a rough edge that there’s not an ounce of humanity about them. There’s nothing personal, sexy, engaging, nothing to get the heart beating a little faster. They’re almost saying “we’ve got to produce literature with our name on it, but there’s nothing to see here – everything’s under control – move along now!” Sometimes, rather than show actual employees they even use models specifically selected to look presentable and anonymous.

So, sod that – here are some real people who actually do the jobs, and don’t often get their portraits taken. Unlike rock stars and actors who spend their lives in front of lenses and either get irritated by it or rather too comfortable these are people who are generally quite excited or apprehensive about having their picture taken, and it’s fascinating to see how many aspects of their personalities emerge in the short time allotted to each shoot.

It’s a change from their routine, and as far as I can I like to honour that, and create as much space and possibility as I can within the framework of the brief. That way there’s plenty of opportunity to be open to what is revealed. The last thing I want to do is to impose routine of my own! Plus quite often I’m flying a thousand miles or travelling by overnight train to shoot them for half an hour or so, and that makes it feel kind of special. It’s not just a quick in-house snap.

It’s something I’d like to explore, too. I’m sure there’s so much more creativity and interest that could be brought to this huge area of published images. I’d love more time to plan the shoot with each sitter, and create more context. With the limited time presently available for each shoot, the main context is usually defined by geography: how can I place this person? Where do they work? Then, what do they do which defines them, separates them from the other guys? After that it’s down to personality and lighting!

But what if I could leave the setting totally open to the sitter? What place or context do they feel best defines them? What props, people, time of day would exemplify it? Every business is different in its way, and so is every person involved in it.

Sometimes a shoot is defined by a time and place, rather than one person, but that still offers scope for a range of moods and situations.

At a time where most people feel some degree of isolation and de-personalisation within the machine there’s never been a better time to celebrate real people and real personality and reclaim business and everyday life. Maybe the corporations should think about that when preparing next year’s annual reports. After all, the decision makers at the top of every corporation are real people too.

PS - I've put an album up in the left margin to try to show the breadth of styles of some of the recent corporate shoots. It includes pension fund managers, statisticians, authors, record company bosses, marketing teams, music entrepreneurs, politicians.... in short, a range of people who do business! I'm also putting together a separate website just for the corporate side of things which will be at www.corporateexposure.eu - I'll let you know when it's up.

Catching up

Ok, I’ve been really lax on the blog update front, so I’m going to spend a couple of days sorting that out. Could be haphazard, but I’m finding all kinds of stuff, so I’ll share as I get each bit edited!

First of all one or two angels who escaped last time around. There’s more, too, just as soon as I get them scanned in. Hope you like these.

We should get a chance to see the Ice Hot girls again soon at the New Year SmartieParty, and at an exhibition that just might be happening in mid January. I’ll keep you posted on the latter as I may just have a vested interest in doing so!

Ok, stay tuned – more posts soon!