VETERAN BY A VETERAN
Alex was sponsored through his Art Degree by the British Army and went on to serve as an Officer in the Light Dragoons. Following the reconnection with Army through the Captain Sir Tom Moore commission, He was struck by the respect and love that Veterans are given by society.
Alex is working towards a National Level Exhibition to celebrate the achievements of Veterans that have gone on to exciting and inspirational careers. Being a Veteran allows Alex to relate to his sitters with his shared past and he is in a position to understand the deep respect that the public have toward these remarkable people whilst being part of their cohort.
This show has the full Support of the Ministry of Defence - a project that has taken 2 years so far connecxting him with some of the most highly regarded people in the united Kingdom.
BEAR GRYLLS OBE ADVENTURER
Bear’s Portrait was done at his home in one of his farm buildings, It would have been nice to have been in the mountains with him - as long as it was Verbier and not some survival incident…. but it was actually a backdrop that he had from a previous public speaking engagement. It was quite extraordinary working with him and he was incredibly generous with his time as well as being great to chat to. I got some fantastic images of him in and around the location and it made choosing this image quote tough as they were all great! He went on to use one of my images for the cover of his book.
NIGEL BENN
TIM PEAKE CMG ASTRONAUT
I was commissioned by the Army Air Corps to paint Tim’s Portrait to celebrate his appointment as the honorary Colonel of 9 Regiment Army Air Corps. We were kindly allowed to do the shoot at the Science Museum. We had been trying to decide whether to do it there or at the National Space Centre in Leicester, when it I found out that his actual landing capsule was on display in the science museum. I did his portrait in front of that for the Army Air Corps, but also this one for my Veterans Show. Tim is possibly the nicest person you’ll ever meet and so I wanted to capture that warmth and kindness that has made him such an inspiration wit the public.
LEVISON WOOD EXPLORER, AUTHOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER
I met Lev at a time when he was aching to travel again, at a time when we were all prevented from leaving the Country due to post lockdown restrictions. I wanted to get him brooding in his study , contemplating his next adventure. The dramatic lighting was inspired by the Sopranos, the iconic TV Series and to me I love the idea that the darkness represents not just his frustration at being tethered to the UK but also the sense of the unexplored. This was a deliberate choice, as there were some amazing alternative shots taken that have subsequently been used in his publications.
