It's mid July and the sun should be shining. Instead, it's grey, damp and pretty miserable outside. What better way to cheer myself up then digging through my archives and posting a picture of the most jovial man I've ever shot, the legend that is Desmond Tutu. His charisma and vivaciousness for life truly is infectious.
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Andy Murray /
With the disappointment of defending Wimbledon champion Andy Murray being eliminated at the quarter finals stage, I thought I'd trawl back through my archives and resurrect one of my favourite shots from when I was fortunate enough to photograph the British number one . He was such a top bloke, full of charisma, charm and not too shabby at tennis; definitely still got it in him to secure a couple more Grand Slams. Come on Andy!!!
The Abandoned St Agnes Church /
Continuing my Abandoned Spaces series, I recently visited St Agnes, a gothic and majestic church just outside downtown Detroit which has been abandoned since late 2006.
Following its completion in the 1920s, the church quickly grew and by the mid fifties was the focal point of a thriving community serving approximately 1,600 families, three priests, 22 nuns and an adjacent girl's high schools with just under two hundred students.
However, by the mid 1980s the LaSalle neighbourhood in which it sits, had become run down and dilapidated leaving the church with only 160 families worshiping at the space. Although a number of cost cutting measures were made to try and save the church, it was soon deemed impractical to keep it open and it was forced to close in 2006. Coincidentally, St Agnes once so splendid and grand, even hosted a sermon by Mother Theresa in the 1980s where she spoke to thousands; she even insisted that all food provided at the event be given to the poor.
As with so many of Detroit's ornate buildings since closing, scrappers have colonized the space removing all the valuable piping from the organ whilst precious glazed tiling from walls and pillars has been stripped away. On entering, I also noticed that weather and further vandalism has ripped away much of the facade as the floor literally crumbled under foot as I carefully explored the space with my cameras. As with all abandoned churches, it is somewhat creepy and a little eery to see places of worship in such a sad and sorry state.
I hope my photographs do the space justify. I certainly feel that they are a worthwhile addition to my ongoing series which I hope to exhibit soon.
The Entrance to St Agnes Church through the main double doors which are now padlocked shut.
A view of the inside of St Agnes Church, Detroit where one can clearly see where the floor has broken up and valuable tiling stripped from the walls and pillars by scrappers.
One solitary church pew remains in the abandoned St Agnes Church in Detroit, Michigan.
I always thought this guy was a character from the Adams family - in fact I’ve been told by the folks over at AbandonedSpaces.com that it’s actually Grandpa from the Munsters; his face was tagged all over the abandoned church.
A better view of the destruction and warping of the pillars inside the abandoned St Agnes Church, Detroit. Michigan.
I love the way the light streamed through the huge church window which would have formerly been stained glass, illuminating the church pew.
The stairs leading up/down to the balcony.
A view from the balcony of the abandoned St Agnes Church in Detroit, Michigan showing the extent of the damage to the space.
World Cup Brazil - Maicon /
The World Cup has arrived and as we all kick back and enjoy a months worth of football, I thought I'd share one of my favourite shots I took at the last World Cup in South Africa. Of course, it's got to be a Brazilian. Here's Maicon steaming down the wing before scoring his infamous goal against North Korea.
Max for Moss Bros /
Here are some of my favourite images from a recent shoot for Moss Bros, with model Maxwell from Elite. Needless to say, I had some serious beard envy on the day. Styling by Minna Attala.
Twickenham Stadium /
Last week, I was at Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby in South London on a shoot for RBS photographing two English rugby legends, Jason Leonard and Graham Rowntree.
Whilst there, I took the opportunity to photograph the stadium empty before the shoot. As many, of you know empty arenas are one of my favourite subject matters to shoot evoking memories of all of the great moments of triumph and jubilation along with anguish and defeat that have occurred within these magnificent arenas throughout their histories.
With an attendance of 82,000 making it the largest rugby union venue in the world, Twickenham is a particularly interesting stadium to shoot replete with vivid green seats and modernist architecture despite it being over a hundred years old. Below are a couple of my favourite photos of the stadium including a panorama which is a composite stitch of fifteen photographs.
Best Places To Photograph Paris /
Recently, I visited Paris on a short trip to capture some of the cities most iconic landmarks. The city is steeped in history, culture and romance and lends itself fantastically to taking fantastic photographs. Since returning a lot of photographers and friends have asked me about the best places to shoot in the city. In all honesty, there are so many diverse things to shoot from the eclectic winding streets of the Merais district to the exposed modernist architecture of the Pompidou that making a definitive list is almost impossible. However, below are a few of my favourite spots to photograph in the city:
1. Arc De Triomphe
One of Paris' most iconic landmarks situated at the end of the world famous Champs-Elysee this military monument lends itself brilliantly to being shot at dusk. Once the arch is illuminated, a long exposure will allow you to juxtapose the warm light of the stone with the energy of traffic whizzing around the Place Charles De Gaulle.
2. Notre Dame
This gothic cathedral is not only stunning from the outside replete with gargoyles and stained glass windows but also absolutely beautiful inside. You may also want to shoot it from the River Seine to get some nice reflections of the towers and turrets in the water.
3. The Eiffel Tower
Ok, granted this is an obvious one but, no trip to Paris is complete without some shots of one of the most famous landmarks in the world. There are many spots in the city to shoot the tower from; whether from right underneath it with a wide angle (first shot) or from one of the many rooftops where the public can access for free. I highly recommend the Printemps department store which, has the added bonus of a cute cafe for an amazing 360 degree panoramic view of Paris.
4. Montmartre/Sacre Couer
Despite being a little out of the city, it is well worth making the trip to Montmartre for more than just the climb to the Basilica of Sacre Couer which does though offer stunning vistas from the highest point in the city. The church itself when bathed in sunshine shines a brilliant white and looks great in photos and there is a bustling street market with hundreds of artisans and painters, enough to keep the most avid street photographer occupied for hours.
5. The Louvre
As well as being home to the world's most famous painting the Mona Lisa, the Louvre is a fascinating structure to photograph where modern and classical collide. The accompanying Tuileries Garden is also a fun place to shoot charismatic Parisians scuttling between the busy Place De La Concorde and museum district.
6. Montparnasse Tower.
I always love viewing cities from above and a journey up the Montparnasse Tower is a must. It has a very well designed viewing area, you can take tripods and there is plenty of time/space to photograph the entirety of Paris below. I would recommend going up just before sunset to watch the lights come on in the City. I also think it has the best view of the Eifflel Tower anywhere in the city. If you want your postcard picture, this is the place.