Veteran Portrait Featured in National Geographic

Allow me this moment to feel a bit of personal pride…

This month, National Geographic have a full article, covering the story of the the Legendary Avro Lancaster…

A wonderful article covering the life of the Lancaster from its birth, those who designed it, those who built it, those who maintained it and those who flew it.

Of those who flew it, I had the utmost pleasure of spending time with and photographing World War 2 Veteran, Rusty Waughman DFC AFC Ld’H , RAF Flight Lieutenant, 101 ‘Special Duties’ Squadron, for my 3945 Portraits Project.

Over the years I’ve been fortunate to have my images appear in articles, magazines and as front covers, but to have a portrait feature in National Geographic, feels, well…extra special.

You can check out the full article as well as Rusty’s incredible story HERE

Saddened that World War 2 Veteran Harry Billinge MBE has died

Not much I can add other than, yet again we have lost another of the Greatest Generation, Harry Billinge MBE aged 96 years.

I had the pleasure of meeting, photographing and knowing Harry thanks to my 39-45 Portraits Project.

A slight of a man with the heart of a lion and what was clearly a life mission to ensure that those he served with during World War 2 were never forgotten, in the fund raising he did for the Normandy Memorial.

R.I.P.

Good to be Back! Portraits of World War 2 Veterans

After almost 2 years it felt great the other day to be able to photograph another of our World War 2 Veterans…

Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic it’s not been possible and not been safe to take portraits, especially of people in such advanced years, but thankfully now times have changed and I’m able to resume.

This latest portrait is of 101 year old, World War 2 Veteran, Gordon Short who served in the 9th Devons and was attached to the 4th Battalion the Royal West Kents an served in Burma.

I photographed Gordon at his home in Devon which just happens to be a 10 minute drive from my home in the next village having been contacted by one of his sons who’d heard of my 39-45 Portraits Project.

I kept the set up as had in all the previous portraits to ensure continuity…

• Lighting: Westcott FJ80 Speedlite in a Westcott Rapid Box Switch Large Octa

• Background: X-Drop Background using the Grey Material*

• Camera: Sony A7RIV

• Lens: Sony 55mm f/1.8 ZA

*Ordinarily I would have used my own branded canvas effect background but not knowing how much space I’d have to work in, I opted to use the grey material that comes included with the X-Drop because it folds up to be really compact and when fixing it to the frame you don’t need to roll it out. I then made it look like my canvas background by adding a texture to it in Photoshop.

In the next couple of days I’m heading back to see Gordon and to present him with his portrait, printed and in a mount … cannot wait!