Nev Brewer

STUDIO

This is one of my favourite portrait shots. It is from a series of images I took of Elizabeth at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Studio photography often involves different lighting set-ups and positioning the lighting so that it works best for your subject - as well as setting the mood, the tone and the atmosphere.

Most important though is the working relationship between photographer and sitter. It’s no great secret that many people are reluctant subjects in a studio set-up and there is frequently a barrier to overcome. Sitters can feel exposed and there may be a tendency to project themselves in a way that doesn’t truly reflect who they are. This is sometimes, and quite legitimately, the purpose of the shoot. However, more often than not, it’s the person behind the ‘front’ that we are looking to capture and this requires a partnership between photographer and sitter. It’s the photographer’s responsibility to make this work. Sometimes images that seem to best reveal the ‘real’ person come from those relaxed, ‘off-guard’ moments which could be considered as ‘chinks in the armour’.

The capturing of such moments frequently results in honest, captivating imagery which is often the most interesting and best of the session. This image was very much a collaboration between Elizabeth and myself.

LOCATION

I first took some images of Sir Jonathan Miller when he directed ‘King Lear’ some years back. At that time I had been asked to cover early rehearsals from day one right through to the dress performance. I was extremely fortunate to see a great deal of this brilliant man in action.

A few years later, in 2016, I was asked to take some more photographs of him when he was directing rehearsals of ‘She Stoops To Conquer’. This image was taken during a break in rehearsal when normally the actors would take some time out. As I had seen many times before, Sir Jonathan, with cigarette in hand ready for a break, was holding court and enthusiastically giving out individual direction and words of wisdom to a lengthy line of actors.

Often this kind of environment can be challenging for the photographer as you have to work with constantly changing artificial light which can often be quite low. Fortunately there was just enough light here for me to be able to catch Sir Jonathan in full flow and, I think, capture some of the essence of the man.

TRAVEL

The image of this holy man, a sadhu, was taken in Varanasi, India. I nearly always ask permission before taking someone’s image and especially so if that person is going to be the main subject of the photograph. If there is a language barrier then gestures can go a long way. If someone is uncomfortable with the idea then I just say thank you and move on.

The sadhu was more than happy to engage and I think that comes over in the image itself. The photograph was taken using the natural light available.