Model Portfolio Session at the Barbican

It’s always a pleasure to see previous clients but this session bought a new joy – to be booked by an adult who I first photographed as a toddler, that’s pretty special. When Tom booked me to take his portraits for his modelling portfolio I was over the moon, we had first met in 2006 when he was only three years old. How that time has flown by!

While that session involved running around the garden, this photo shoot was a calmer affair. We spent our time taking beautiful headshots, ¾ length, and full-length portraits to build a portfolio. We also had a few creative images thrown in for good measure, not least because the light was incredible, and Tom was such an inspiring subject.

Tom was a natural in front of the camera which I remembered from when he was small, some little ones just have a way of lighting up in front of a lens. As an adult, charisma and charm shone through in these beautiful images.

We spent a wonderful couple of hours taking pictures in the city of London and around the incredible Barbican Centre which is a fantastic location for portraits. Finding interesting light and good, yet simple, backdrops (the images needed to be about Tom, not about the location) we created a wonderful portfolio of images.

My favourite is this image that is all about the light and the lines. Together, light, angle, framing, pose, it creates an image that is more than the sum of its parts. Inspired by a famous photography ‘Approaching Shadow’ by the Chinese photographer Fan Ho taken in Hong Kong in 1954. I love how visual memory can spark creativity and, as a photographer, I can stand on the shoulders of the giants of the past and create an image of my own that works so well with the architecture of the Barbican and with Tom’s beautiful profile and graceful pose.

We also used some of the amazing pockets of light to create some interesting images, works of art that bring together portraiture and architectural photography so beautifully.

I love these headshots and I love them even more when I can see those expressions from tiny toddler to charismatic grown up. What a pleasure my job is, I’m so very lucky to be trusted by my clients to create these memories for them.

I hope you like these model portfolio photos. If you would like to arrange your own photo shoot then do send me a message via my contact form and we can get your photo shoot in the diary.