Post having spent 6 weeks editing season one of my show Feathers and Toast which was post 2 months writing the script which was post months creating the character which was basically post a long time pulling it all together I was not in a good frame of mind to be advised to redesign my entire online presence, website included. I was at a low ebb, not wanting to put everything out online until I had all my ducks in a row but at the same time the thought of coming up with an idea for a cool eye catching 1 in a million site was a little beyond me and my exhausted self.
Thats when photographer Katie Nolan stepped in and became the creative force behind what you are reading this on now darling. The concept of the photographs, the shoot, the style all was taken care of by Katie. Whereas I was thinking one Audrey Hepburn type moody black and white shot, she blew that out of the water knowing how much I move and wanting to recreate that movement with the photography.
I am apt to be challenging to photograph for a still shot. Several photographers from Glasgow, Paris, London and Los Angeles have informed me of this, that when I am not allowed to move I freeze. The worst example of this culminated in a near stand off with one photographer in his studio/garage when he literally exclaimed in exasperation that I was the hardest person he had ever shot. I retorted with that he was the photographer not me and to simply guide me to the award winning pose.
All this to say that it was with trepidation that I approached my shoot with Katie. In the end I thought it only fair to warn her of my apparent impossibility to shoot, thus clearing the decks for what could be a challenging day the next day for us. I blurted out that I may be a little tricky and Katie simply smiled and turned to me saying “yeah, well you’ve never shot with me before”. My jaw dropped open. That solid brass confidence knocking me for six. And darling, she was right. I had never shot with her before and as we flew through the shoot the next day, blowing my mind with the amazing shots we got (as opposed to simply praying that I would have one that wasn’t that bad that could be used in a serious pinch, my normal MO photo shoots) We have gone on from that day to recreate classic mime looks, all the still photography from my show Feathers and Toast, 2 seasons of it, plus a live cabaret show, the poster shoot in a bathtub with the bubbles dispersing immediately, filling the bath with milk and washing up liquid as a mariachi band played beneath the window outside and Katie squatted over the bath as I held a champagne glass filled with apple juice and attempted to give my come hither look.
So thats all I wanted to say. So many people ask me about my business cards (which is the shot of me with my Hollywood glasses on) that I have to make it public knowledge despite risking Katie becoming so busy I never see her and her camera again in a cloud of dust I will say she is hands down the best photographer one is ever likely to come across.
PS We are currently poised for a Smithsonian retrospective and I shall alert you when tickets come on sale. For a few sneak peaks of what will be shown please see below:
