Music Photography.

A good press shot tells a promoter or a blog who you are before they press play. I shoot solo artists and bands at Studio A, with a mix of tight portraits, half-length frames and wider shots that leave room for a gig poster or festival listing to put text over.

We plan the set-ups around where the pictures will be used: a press kit, a streaming profile, a venue’s listings page, your own feed. A band shot is lit so that everyone reads clearly, not just the singer in the middle, and I keep an eye on spacing and height so nobody gets lost at the back.

Cover artwork is cropped square and seen tiny on a phone, so the idea has to work small. I shoot with that in mind, with plenty of space around the subject so you or your designer can crop and place the title without losing a hand or a guitar neck.

The motorised backdrop gives me ten colours to work against, from clean white to deep black, and the lighting can go from soft and flattering to hard, contrasty and moody. If the release already has a look, bring references and we’ll build the shoot around them.

Musicians often want more than one look from a session: a stage outfit, something everyday, a single statement piece. Bring the changes, and I’ll plan the order so the lights move as little as possible between them. There are two lit make-up mirrors if you’re bringing a make-up artist.

Many of the music portraits I make are black and white or shot against black. Tell me early if you want that, because it changes how I light the skin and the clothes.

Not every music picture belongs on a backdrop. I can also shoot in a rehearsal room, at a recording session or backstage anywhere in London, bringing the lights with me, for the candid frames fans like to see between releases.

If you also want short vertical clips for Instagram, I can film them in the same session, so the photos and the video share one look.