London, United Kingdom – 2023

This was a fun shoot to do and a first for both Cara and myself. She couples versatility with a razor- sharp mind and I never have to worry about her performing – she was born a performer. She was an easy choice to pay Oliver, whereas it would have been a bridge too far for many in her profession.

The kids, however, in my orphanage in the old Chatham dockyards in Kent, were less seasoned with the camera and they all needed some tutoring; there were many distractions for them on set and I needed their focus and attention. They all did a grand job in the end.

Photography is about light as much as it is about any other variable. Some have described it as the language of light and I understand that description. There are settings such as this where the ambient light allows the photograph to be elevated to a higher level than would normally be achieved by the content on stage. It adds a layer to the story and the search for additional layers in a still image is core to our purpose.