Prima Magazine

Working with Prima magazine has taken me to some great places and introduced me to some fascinating people.

I’ve always liked seeing how things are made and meeting the people who make them. There is something about watching someone who really knows their craft. The way they work. The tools they use. The little things they do without even thinking about them.

At the Bluebell Railway, I spent time behind the scenes in the workshops where the carriages are brought back to life. In one, the seats were stripped, repaired and upholstered. In another, carriages were being prepared and repainted. There was something very satisfying about seeing all the work that goes into keeping these old trains running. Not just the engines, but all the people and skills behind them.

And then there was The Repair Shop. Walking onto that set was something else. A room full of people with very particular skills, quietly getting on with the work of bringing old and treasured things back to life. Watching them work and trying to capture those moments was a real privilege. It remains one of the highlights of my time working with Prima.

The best part of these assignments is usually the bit before I take the picture. Talking to people. Looking around. Seeing how they work and what makes their approach different.

Then you start looking for the photograph.

Sometimes it is the finished thing. Sometimes it is a pair of hands, a workbench, a paintbrush or a small detail that tells you everything.

These are the assignments I enjoy most. Getting behind the scenes, meeting people who care deeply about what they do, and trying to make photographs that show not just what they make, but something of the person behind it.