Parts Unknown II
Durango, Colorado – 2023
When we shoot in the winter, weather plays a large part in our planning, but given the speed at which weather can change, it does not pay to be too prescriptive too far out from shooting days. But we continually check weather patterns and within 36 hours of a shoot, we tend to home in on a certain plan.
There are, I guess, four or five weather possibilities in the winter: melting snow and sunny, which is horrid; cold and sunny, which is better but restricts filming time; a snowstorm, which is exciting, but can impair detail or, ideally, the end of a big snow fall.
In the Rockies, I guess there are about a dozen days a year when a big storm passes through and clears, leaving behind a winter wonderland and kind gentle light. This is the film maker’s big opportunity, provided the props are in place and access is still possible. It is always challenging, but these are the days we wait for. They don’t come that often.
We know the Durango to Silverton steam train well and have built up a strong friendship with the owner Al Harper and his wonderful team of engineers in Durango. I sensed there was an opportunity at this jaw dropping location made famous by its appearance some 50 years ago in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. We were in town and waiting as the storm system pushed through. It had lasted 36 hours and left 18 inches of new snow in the San Juan Forest that the old steam train cuts through.
We had to operate fast, as the light was picking up all the time and both teams worked quickly to get everyone in position early in the day. The Native American and the horse had the toughest job – that was no easy brief that day.
When I look at this photograph, I feel some sense of pride, it is a hell of a shot. But not pride in myself, pride in all the people that made it happen. A real team effort.
Available sizes
LARGE: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image size: 56" x 70" in (142.2 cm x 177.8 cm)
- Framed Image: 71" x 85" in (180.3 cm x 215.9 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image size: 46" x 37" in (116.8 cm x 93.98 cm)
- Framed Image: 61" x 52" in (154.9 cm x 190.5 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Rodeo
Rodeos are events for the community as much as they are events for the individual performers. No matter the riding skills and bravery of the competitors, they are only part of the story, not the story itself. The action is simply the reason for the gathering and it is ultimately the gathering that is remembered. Rodeos are a celebration of a way of life and are an integral part of Americana. Some States such as Montana, Texas, Wyoming and Colorado would lose much of their identity without these local gatherings.
When working on this idea therefore, I knew that a single frame would fail if there was not a sense of occasion and a wider context. This normally requires a wide-angle lens and this can work against capturing the action in an immersive and detailed way. The champion riders have a formidable skill set and my sense was that this should be celebrated as well.
To offer both context and detailed action within a ring, is a challenge and looking over scores of old rodeo images, most photographs tended to achieve one or the other, but not both. The only way I could see around the riddle was to work from a cage inside the ring and hope that the action would come close enough to my wide-angle lens. To work from outside the ring would leave any image very loose unless I was incredibly lucky.
In my mind photography is often about collaboration; it is indulgent to consider it to be a singular profession and the credit for this photograph goes to the nearby community and its rodeo team, as much as it does to the person behind the lens. Every single person played a role and that is why the image can be looked at for a long time. Some of the facial expressions are fantastic and there is a palpable sense of place.
I remain in awe of the bull rider that day; that is quite a skill to possess.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 20 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 42” x 103" in (106.7 cm x 261.6 cm)
- Framed Image: 57" x 118” in (144.8 cm x 299.7 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 20 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 30” x 74” in (76.2 cm x 188 cm)
- Framed Image: 45” x 89” (114.3 cm x 226.1 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Ferrari II (B&W)
Amboy, California – 2023
Archival Pigment Print
In the 1950s, the Californian Dream made Route 66 the most famous road in the world. “The Mother Road”, as John Steinbeck described it in The Grapes of Wrath, became the route of flight for the American Middle Class; a trend accelerated by the rapidly evolving Californian economy and the opening of Disneyland in 1955.
The stretch of road heading east near Amboy in the baking Californian desert showcases the Route 66 journey as it once was. The sense of scale offers the filmmaker a valuable tool kit and I have been drawn to this outpost for many years. It is a commitment of time to get there, but one that many road trippers make because of the iconic Roy’s Motel and Cafe which serves as the one identifiable landmark in a barren desert.
Amboy is a known known and I worried how I could break new ground because like all spectacular vistas in the US, it has been well photographed. The challenge is not in getting there, but in transcending when one does.
I called upon a Hong Kong friend who is a passionate investor in vintage cars and owns one of the most lauded and valuable collections in the world. I explained the shoot concept and he graciously offered up one his most coveted treasures – the 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Vignale Spider. It was one of only 12 built in the world and when one comes up at auction, they sell for more than a London townhouse. His team was kind enough to transport this fabled Ferrari 1,000 miles across the country, but at least when they arrived, they understood the opportunity. It was going to be a trip well made.
The design of the Ferrari was perfect as its low windscreen allowed my lens direct access into the faces of the girl (the wonderful Daniela Braga) and the wolf. They could then hold centre stage and let all the other constituent parts play off each other.
The goal of this shoot was to play on the metaphor that is Route 66. It encapsulates the American Dream, as it was the road of freedom and ambition. Go West, work hard, stay focused and enjoy the very best of lives.
We styled to the mid 1950s and I told Daniela to exude a sense of positivity. She should look, as Nat King Cole suggested, that she was “Getting her Kicks on Route 66”.
Hard not to in that Ferrari.
Available sizes
Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 56” x 59” in (142.2 cm x 149.9 cm)
- Framed Image: 71” x 74” in (180.3 cm x 188 cm)
Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 37” x 39” in (93.98 cm x 99.06 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 54” in (132.1 cm x 137.2 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Once Upon a Time on Wall Street
Someone was going to make this shot and I always felt we had a chance to bring all the constituent parts together. We have some history with ideas based on Scorsese’s epic film and the fact that I once worked on Wall Street added a sense of purpose as well as a personal connection.
Made of white Georgian marble, the temple-like facade of the NY Stock Exchange Building was inspired by the Roman Pantheon and the six Corinthian columns make for a majestic backdrop. It is an unmistakable building and when it opened its doors in 1903, it was a big moment in the history of America.
I needed a quiet day to shoot on set and that always pointed to a Sunday, but I also wanted an emphatic written reference as well as the architectural reference somewhere in the frame. The green street signposts of “Wall Street” were too high to incorporate meaningfully into the picture and I saw no real workable alternative. I sensed it really was a bridge too far to be able to include the words Wall Street and I recognised that, as always, I was being a bit visually greedy. I had no depth of field on my camera and so any sign with Wall Street on it had to be as close to the camera as the wolf, or the letters would be a blur.
But by some extraordinary stroke of luck, when I found my shooting location lying on the cobbled street, there, smack in front of me on the road, was a museum plate that spoke of Wall Street’s history. I had no idea it was there and at the margin this detail makes all the difference.
This was not an easy shot, but we got there and to the best of my knowledge, we got there first.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 58" x 56” in (147.3 cm x 142.2 cm)
- Framed Image: 73" x 71” in (185.4 cm x 180.34 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 38” x 37” in (96.52 cm x 93.98 cm)
- Framed Image: 53” x 52” (134.6 cm x 132.08 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
The Bills III
The Flying D Ranch, Southwest Montana, USA – 2021
The concept of this photograph has been on my wish list for many years. A group of male bison charging through heavy snow, directly towards a camera is certainly a rare sight and it always seemed a bridge too far from almost every perspective. The question has always been where and how could this epic scene unfold in front of a camera?
Yellowstone National Park was never going to be the answer. This sort of collective behavior does not tend to happen in the park and if it did, there would be zero chance of being in the right place at the right time to film it. It is difficult to break new ground in Yellowstone.
In 2020 an American artist, John Banovich, an exceptional talent and good friend, suggested that I approach Ted Turner to see if I could gain access to his stunning 180 square mile ranch – Flying D – saddling Yellowstone and neighboring Big Sky. This remarkable place is nine times the size of Manhattan and showcases Montana at its most stunning best.
John’s wonderful painting of a group of running bison adorns the wall of the main reception of the exclusive Yellowstone Club and he took his inspiration from spending time at Ted Turner’s ranch. I recognized that this was a link worth pursuing. Flatteringly, a few months after my initial approach, the Turner team agreed to collaborate in the hope that we could raise money for Ted’s conservation initiatives. Ted Turner is one of America’s biggest landowners and also one of its most acclaimed conservationists and he reintroduced both bison and wolves into Flying D, one of his three Montana ranches. In mid- winter, his team of ranchers will herd some of the 5,000-resident bison into areas where feeding is easier and this controlled activity creates an opportunity to work a situation. Just like cowboys herding their cattle in Texas, the skill sets of the Turner ranchers in deep snow are a privilege to watch.
The difficulty is that bison in this vast ranch are more skittish of humans on foot than their Yellowstone cousins, who see thousands of tourists every day. I therefore needed either to be camouflaged or out of sight as they made haste in my direction. Luckily the Flying D team knew of a group of rocks behind which I would be obscured from the bison’s line of sight.
After many a failure, and some adjustments to the approach, one gorgeous winter morning in February, we achieved what we set out to do. It was a real team effort and I want to thank John Banovich and the whole Turner Corporation team at the Flying D.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 37" x 100” in (93.98 cm x 254 cm)
- Framed Image: 52" x 118” in (132.1 cm x 299.7 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 27” x 73” in (68.58 cm x 185.4 cm)
- Framed Image: 42” x 88” (106.7 cm x 223.5 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Bear Market
Alaska – 2023
The early bird catches the worm and I remember thinking, when I took this photograph sometime before 6 am in remote Alaska, that we had been rewarded for our efforts to make our way to this creek long before most sane people are out of bed.
Warm windless summer days are not normal in Alaska and offer threats as well as opportunities. The principal threat is strong sunshine, but also on these days, in the mountains of Katmai, thick mist can form at pre- dawn over the landing lakes and on the previous day, visibility was not good enough for our float plane to land. That can be so frustrating, as by the time the mist has cleared, the sun is high and filming is a bit miserable. The day is a right off.
But we were luckier on this morning and much of the credit for this photograph goes to our bush pilot; he saw a brief clearing over the water and he went for it. We then gathered our gear and walked briskly down to the river where we knew the bears were fishing in numbers.
Five minutes after I took the photograph, the light that makes the image had changed materially, and the sense of mood was gone. That period, just before the sun peaks over the mountains, lasts a few minutes and that is all we had. There is enough light to film, but no harshness from direct sunlight. It is the briefest of windows. I knew I had something in the can when we flew back to the lodge around 8 am, the bears were cooperative and really didn’t mind me following them up the river. I needed to be close otherwise the foreground would be loose and I am always wary of that.
As it is, this picture is special to me as there is such a palpable sense of place. It shouts “Alaska” and does so with content that is unusual. The premise of taking pictures of the backs of animals would seem unpromising, but in this case, it tells the story I wanted to tell. It is “Bear Market”.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 37" x 100” in (93.98 cm x 254 cm)
- Framed Image: 52" x 118” in (132.1 cm x 299.7 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 27” x 73” in (68.58 cm x 185.4 cm)
- Framed Image: 42” x 88” (106.7 cm x 223.5 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
By Order of the Peaky Blinders
London, United Kingdom – 2023
This photograph is an unapologetic nod to Steven Knight’s hugely popular 1920s British gangster series Peaky Blinders. With satanic chimneys belching smoke and cobbles awash with industrial grime, the period drama brought hellish industrial UK into our living rooms but did it with an admirable swagger and aesthetic genius. The anomaly of Peaky Blinders is that cinematography made hell look attractive.
Audiences around the world found themselves engaged by a new street subculture and sympathizing with men with totally disposable moral fiber. Birmingham in the UK became known around the world for what it was portrayed to be like 100 years ago rather than what it is like now. That’s quite a trick.
My creative leaning was to twist the narrative a little. Cillian Murphy owned every scene in the series with a mesmerizing intensity, but what if the leader of the gang was a woman? Most of the women in the series were depicted either as objects of lust or familial loyalty rather than necessarily agents of their own destiny. They faded into the scenery as often happens in mobster shows.
In my mindset there was only girl to go this job – the irrepressible force of nature that is Cara Delevingne. She owns this scene, just as Cillian did in the series, and that says it all. She is a national treasure and we are lucky to work with her as often as we do. As I often say to those that ask, “It’s her eyes”.
There was a big cast that day and everyone played their role. It only takes one person to kill the vibe and that evening everyone did a grand Peaky Blinders job. Maybe some of my extras have missed their vocation in life.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 20
- Image Size: 56” x 90" in (142.2 cm x 228.6 cm)
- Framed Image: 71" x 105” in (180.34 cm x 266.7 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 20
- Image Size: 37” x 60” in (93.98 cm x 152.4 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 75” (132.08 cm x 190.5 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
London Town
London, United Kingdom – 2023
Some projects demand a very high level of creative processing for the end result not to fall flat. My goal was to take a picture in London with an intense sense of place and I knew that to do this and remain original was a formidable challenge. There can be few cities in the world more photographed than London and
to tell a story that would resonate with a content spoiled audience, we had to be at our very best. There is nothing more disappointing than to creatively underwhelm, particularly in my home city. We can hardly plant a well-known figure in front of Trafalgar Square and suggest it’s art, and I pondered over this puzzle for many weeks.
Ultimately my instincts were to go back in time and play to the lore of London’s past. We iterated and iterated and decided to play on the gritty London of the post war 1920s. Within the tight vortex of an unmodernised narrow London street, we could then throw on to the stage as many nods to the era as possible.
The historic dockyards of Chatham offer a strong visual canvas on which to tell stories and I sensed that if we played with the ambient light of the early evening and married that with old London streetlights, we had a platform to build on.
It’s a bit like making Christmas lunch – all the constituent parts must coalesce with each other and elevate the final offering. I had a strong inclination to introduce smoke; it adds another cinematic layer whether that smoke comes from a car exhaust or a chimney.
This roaring twenties in the UK saw material advances in technology and science, but it will also be remembered as a decade when women found equality and their sexuality was celebrated. It was an era where grit and glamour forged an unlikely alchemy. Choosing iconic British supermodel and actress Cara Delevingne – a quintessential London girl – as my lead was one of the easier decisions of my career. Meanwhile, David Gandy is my favourite male lead to work with in the world – he always nails it and gives his all. It was a very London day and we were honoured to work with the best leads that London can offer. There was no room for compromise.
This photograph may celebrate the London of 100 years ago, but for all the challenges of 2023, it remains the most vibrant, creative city in the world. We felt that vibe on set. Not many cities can compete with London Town.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 20
- Image Size: 56” x 81" in (142.2 cm x 205.7 cm)
- Framed Image: 71" x 96” in (180.34 cm x 243.8 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 20
- Image Size: 37” x 53” in (93.98 cm x 134.6 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 68” (132.08 cm x 172.7 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Oliver
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.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 20
- Image Size: 56” x 86" in (142.2 cm x 218.4 cm)
- Framed Image: 71" x 101” in (180.34 cm x 256.5 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 20
- Image Size: 37” x 57” in (93.98 cm x 144.8 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 72” (132.08 cm x 182.9 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Sex Panther
Dinokeng, South Africa – 2023
This is a lucky photograph – a fraction of a moment in time captured by my camera. The leading paw of the black panther is the same distance from me as his face, and as a result, they are both sharp. It is rare to see paws captured like this and I sense they add something rather special to a dynamic portrait.
Thanks to the Marvel series, a Black Panther is a metaphor as much as it is a predator. They are not easy to photograph and I tend to work from inside a heavy cage. Over the years I have fine-tuned my approach and the rewards are getting stronger.
We looked at the crop for this image for some time and found the vertical format best suited the content in the frame.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 60" x 56” in (152.4 cm x 142.2 cm)
- Framed Image: 75" x 71” in (190.5 cm x 180.34 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 40” x 37” in (101.6 cm x 93.98 cm)
- Framed Image: 55” x 52” (139.7 cm x 132.08 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.