I recently met and took the portrait of England rugby player Lewis Moody who played for played for English club sides Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby. His international honours include 71 caps for England, whom he also captained, including being part of the winning Rugby World Cup 2003 side and also two test caps for the British and Irish Lions in 2005 against New Zealand. Lewis was known for the enthusiasm for which he played which earned him the nickname “Mad Dog”.
When I met Lewis I introduced myself and offered some of my background to help build rapport and break the ice. During this time Lewis listened and nodded politely;
Andy: I served in the British Army
Lewis (nods politely)
Andy: I deployed to Iraq and Cyprus
Lewis (nods politely)
Andy: I volunteered for Afghanistan twice
Lewis (nods politely, and then suddenly stops and a large frown crosses his face as what I have said sinks in)
-yes, “Mad Dog” Lewis thinks I am the crazy one (maybe I am)
The portrait of Lewis Moody has been taken as part of a concussion project, hence the reason behind Lewis’ expression; Lewis played the whole of England’s 2007 Rugby World Cup match against Tonga. He doesn’t remember all of it. He was knock out not once, but twice with the first knock out occurring in the second minute of the match. The next day he felt sickeningly disorientated on a rollercoaster ride at Disneyland Paris, but went on to start the following weekend’s quarter-final win over Australia in Marseilles. Needless to say today’s head injury assessment protocols were not in place at the time. In addition to the effects of playing rugby, Lewis is also potentially being genetically disposed to Alzheimer’s, a disease diagnosed in both his father and brother.
The portrait took longer than normal in regards to post production and, in particular, the colour. At first glance the portrait would appear to have been slightly desaturated; it has not and indeed I have even increased the vibrance of the image which, normally, would increased the colour strength. In this instance the effect has been produced using colour grading, something I rarely use, to give subtle pushes to the midtones, shadows and highlights.
Post production, for me, is a key component of taking a photograph; it is where a photographer can add a signature element to their work. My natural instinct is to post produce a photograph, in this instance a portrait, in keeping with the mood or situational and environmental factors when I pressed the shutter. There was certainly a melancholia to the portrait session, and the reasons behind it, so it it perhaps no surprise the shadows and highlights err on the side of blue.
andybarnham
I am a portrait photographer based in Cheltenham, UK. Born in Hong Kong to a Chinese mum and British dad, I had an international upbringing while I educated in the UK. I started photography as a hobby while serving as an officer in the British Army.
After my service I turned this passion into a career and became immersed in London's sartorial scene. I am now focusing my camera on portraiture and using this eye for detail which was refined over ten years. As a former Royal Artillery officer it is only fitting I shoot with a Canon camera.
