Anguilla, Caribbean – 2022

Archival Pigment Print on 315gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta Paper

In my deliberation over the Pirates in the Caribbean project, there were two overriding personal filters. The first was to avoid being formulaic and the second was my sense that it would be commercial suicide to be too earnest. Pirates are mythological figures and whilst what they did was very serious, I was only too aware of the dangers of us taking ourselves too seriously in any revisionist portrayal. We should have fun; just as Disney did with their blockbuster franchise.

The pirates we had assembled in Anguilla looked the part and our giant canvas of the pirate boat offered the best context in the background. The key building blocks were in place on this set, we just needed ‘the x factor’. I played with half a dozen ideas to complete the story in the foreground and there was one concept that seemed to stand out – the arriving pirates must have an encounter.

Encounters represent a dilemma for still photographers who can’t do “over the shoulder two takes”. We have the one chance and that tends to mean that we lose one face. But I saw how we could use that to our advantage in that anonymity might work if it told a story.

Daniela Braga, the Brazilian Victoria’s Secret model and a sweetheart, was on set with us. She is smart, fun loving and she fully embraced the idea I had in mind.

I think the photograph works well. As someone wryly said, those pirates who lost an eye must have been cursing themselves.