Cruise line operator P&O Cruises has joined forces with Rankin for a photo exhibition at London's Battersea Power Station from 17-28 September.

Open to the public, On Board with Rankin is free to enter and will feature a series of images that were captured earlier this year on board P&O Cruises' Arvia cruise ship – the largest in its fleet.

The photographs present life on board as seen through Rankin's distinctive lens and "showcases the vibrant energy and contemporary style of a modern holiday at sea," says P&O Cruises.

Rankin's collaborators on the project include Blur bassist and cheesemaker Alex James, chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White – the P&O Cruises Food Hero – and performer Layton Williams, plus the guests who bring every journey to life.

On Board with Rankin blends documentary and fashion photography and evokes a cinematic aesthetic to create a vibrant visual story with bags of character.

"This isn't a cruise as you once knew it," says Rankin. "This is travel with depth, design and personality.

"It’s about stepping onto a ship that feels more like a boutique resort. Sophisticated, spacious and full of surprises. You make it your own.

"I wanted to capture that anticipation and energy of a P&O Cruises holiday."

This is just a selection of the photos being displayed at the exhibition. They were captured on a Canon EOS R5 full-frame mirrorless with an RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens – a departure from the medium-format Hasselblads that Rankin is typically seen shooting with.

On Board with Rankin aims to celebrate "the sense of possibility" of modern cruising.

"You're out at sea, the horizon is wide open and your day could be anything you want it to be," he says.

"Modern cruising is no longer about coach tours and set schedules. It's about curated experiences: contemporary speciality dining, five-star views, architectural design, immersive entertainment and a sense of independent escape that's as rejuvenating as it is exciting.

P&O Cruises president, Paul Ludlow, said: "We are privileged to be collaborating with Rankin on this truly special project.

"These images redefine travel photography, and Rankin's ability to capture the essence of contemporary travel aligns perfectly with our vision for a holiday with P&O Cruises.

"These photographs not only showcase the exceptional experiences on board, but also the joy and individuality of our guests.

"Each image brings its own charisma, captured in candid and dynamic moments that epitomise Arvia's cool and contemporary spirit.

"We are proud to present this exhibition at Battersea Power Station and invite everyone to see cruising in a whole new light."

Get On Board with Rankin from 17-28 September!

On Board with Rankin runs from September 17-28 2025 at Battersea Power Station, London, and admission is free.

The nearest Tube station is Battersea Power Station, but you could always channel the nautical vibe and arrive by Uber Boat – disembark at Battersea Power Station Pier.

The choice of venue is inspired, says Rankin: "Where better to exhibit this transformation than Battersea Power Station – a destination reborn, just like cruising itself. Bold, cultural and iconic.

"Come see what the future of a holiday at sea looks like."

The Side Gallery is hosting a 50x50 fundraising print sale over this bank holiday weekend (August 22-26, 2025), in which famed photographers are offering £50 prints in a limited run of 50 pieces each to support the future of Side and working‑class documentary photography and film.

The Newcastle-based gallery's 50x50 print sale offers the public a chance to acquire affordable, high-quality photographic images while raising much-needed funds for the only arts organization in the UK that is devoted to documentary film and photography centered on working-class life, from the North East of England and internationally.

Photographers donating their work include members of the Amber Film and Photography Collective, respected North East practitioners, and internationally recognized names such as Sunil Gupta, Rankin, and Sam Taylor-Johnson. Each has contributed a single image that speaks to the documentary ethos that has underpinned Side’s work since 1977.

All profits from this sale will go to the AmberSide Trust and will help fund Side’s ongoing community work, finance the continued care of the UNESCO-registered AmberSide Collection, enable future exhibitions and partnerships, and support continued public access to documentary photography in the North East.

Every photograph will be available in a limited edition of just 50 copies, each priced at £50. These prints will be exhibition quality, A4 archival C-types, produced and dispatched by fine art printers Beyond Print.

Celebrity photographer Rankin remarked: “When I started taking images, I wanted to be a documentary photographer. To show the world how I saw it. But making portraits taught me what really matters to me, people. Side gives that same power to communities, it hands them the camera and says, 'your life is worth capturing'.”

Documentary photographer Daniel Meadows said: “The AmberSide Collection is an unrivalled archive of work, created through close engagement with the people of Newcastle and the wider region. The archive is full of high-quality works of international significance – Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, Izabela Jedrzejczyk, Markéta Luskačová, Chris Killip, Graham Smith – need I go on? These photographers have created some of their finest works with Side, the North East, and its people. I am lucky to have some of my own photographs in the collection and I am proud to be part of supporting its future.”

A small selection of the photographs from the 50x50 fundraising sale appears below. The artists and organizatons contributing their works include Alex Schneiderman, Alys Tomlinson, Amelia Troubridge, Anne Helene Gjelstad, Bill Stephenson, Bruce Rae, Cheryl Newman, Chris Harrison, Daniel Meadows, Dave Jordano, Dorman Long Collection, Dorothy Bohm, Edmund Clark, Ellen Campbell, Gary Calton, Hazel Plater, Homer Sykes, Isabela Jedrzejczyk, Jacky Chapman, Jane Hilton, Janine Wiedel, Jim Mortram, John Davies, Lambton Visual Aids, Leah Gordon, Lewis Khan, Liz Hingley, Maria Maza, Martin Figura, Matthew Finn, Michelle Sank, Nancy Honey, Nik Roche, Pete Robinson, Phillippa James, Rena Effendi, Rankin, Richard Grassick, Robert Golden, Sadie Catt, Sam TaylorJohnson, Sharon Bailey, Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, Sunil Gupta, Tessa Bynney, and Tyrone Williams.

The sale opens exclusively at Side Gallery & Cinema (5-9 Side, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1JE) between August 22-25, open 12-6pm daily, but if you can't attend in person, an online release opens at noon on August 25 on the AmberSide Trust's online store.

Back in 2019, I wrote a fun little list feature titled "20 Famous Photographers You Should Follow on Twitter." It was packed with genuine heavy-hitters. Rankin with his razor-sharp fashion commentary. Pete Souza dropping Presidential behind-the-scenes gold. Ami Vitale sharing her wildlife conservation adventures.

The piece practically wrote itself because these modern legends of photography were actually there, actively posting, engaging with fans, being gloriously, accessibly human.

Today, that article would be much tougher to write. Most of the famous faces have either not posted in months, or deleted their accounts altogether.

It's not just Twitter/X, either. Famous photographers are much less active on Instagram, and indeed social media in general. So what's going on?

Sucking at the corpse of creativity

From where I'm standing, it seems pretty simple: social media has become a creativity vampire. These platforms have evolved from tools for sharing work into full-time content mills that demand constant feeding.

The algorithm doesn't care if you spent three weeks perfecting a single image; it wants three posts a day. Preferably with trending audio and a hook that stops the scroll within 0.3 seconds.

This isn't sustainable for artists who became famous for their art. When someone like Annie Leibovitz spends months crafting a single portrait, the idea of chopping it up into Instagram Stories with animated text overlays must make her feel nauseous.

Landscape photographer Dave Morrow has been the canary in the coal mine here. Once commanding 1.5 million social media followers, he nuked his entire digital presence in 2018. At the time, it seemed like career suicide. Now? It looks like prophecy.

Dopamine addiction is real

After all, look what we've become. Social platforms have weaponised the biological reality of our brains, creating addiction patterns that rival actual cocaine. Every 'like' triggers a dopamine hit, training our brains to crave more, more, more. For photographers who've spent decades developing their aesthetic intuition, this is poison.

Morrow articulated this perfectly when he described the "background static" of constantly having social media conversations running in his head.

Imagine trying to capture a transcendent landscape moment while mentally composing the caption and wondering if the image will perform better as a carousel post. The moment that happens, your creativity has become contaminated by marketing.

No validation required

No photographer needs this cognitive burden, least of all famous ones. They've already proven their worth through gallery exhibitions, commercial clients, and peer recognition. Social media validation feels like asking Michelin-starred chefs to compete on Recipe TikTok.

Not to mention that social platforms have created the perfect ecosystem for image theft. Your photo gets reposted without credit, goes viral on someone else's account, and good luck proving ownership or getting compensation.

If you upload a photograph to Instagram, you've also given Meta permission to use it in advertising, AI training, or whatever future monetization scheme they dream up. Established photographers have too much to lose and too little to gain from this "bargain".

In short, famous photographers aren't backing off from social media because they can afford to. They're abandoning it because they can't afford not to. And maybe it's time the rest of us learned the same lesson.

A new photographic initiative reveals the scale of preventable amputations in the UK, and the impact on both patients and the National Health Service (NHS).

AmpuNation is a project led by global healthcare leader Abbott, which aims to prevent unnecessary amputations by speeding up diagnosis, and also improving life for those living with amputations.

It has partnered with renowned photographer Rankin, to produce a series of thought-provoking portraits of people living with amputation.

The portraits are accompanied by a health economics report, published in the British Journal of Surgery, and aims to help people see and acknowledge the preventable problem behind the statistics.

According to Abbott, people who undergo amputations often live with underlying health conditions including diabetes and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

"PAD is a common condition in which the vessels supplying blood to the legs become narrow or blocked, causing pain as the leg muscles do not get enough oxygen. Diabetes is a significant cause of amputations, even though 80% of foot amputations due to diabetes are preventable."

Amputations change lives dramatically, both to the amputee and those around them.

A third of all limb amputees live with clinically significant depression. PAD does not affect society equally, with women experiencing a faster decline in quality of life than men, and black patients facing a 37% higher risk of amputation than white patients.

The AmpuNation initiative calls for increased awareness of PAD and the threat of amputation in key at-risk groups, faster diagnosis and referrals, consistent standards of care and a clear pathway for people living with PAD.

"Every preventable amputation is a tragedy, not just for the patient but the loved ones around them," commented Jonathan Wood, regional director, Abbot Vascular, North Europe. "At Abbott, we are proud to support the AmpuNation initiative to raise awareness of the signs of PAD to reduce the number of amputations."

The scale of this issue demands international attention and action. In 2019, the number of people aged 40 years and older with PAD was 113 million, and by 2030 the World Health Organization predicts that 1 in 10 Europeans will have diabetes.

In the UK in 2021, more than 3,000 major lower limb amputations took place as a result of conditions like PAD and chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI), the end-stage form of PAD. A report by Abbott, written by leading vascular experts from the NHS, found that it could save more than £8 million (around $10 million / AU$16 million) a year if the rate of major lower-limb amputations among CLTI index procedures is reduced from 10% to 3% across England and Wales.

Professor Athanasios Saratzis, Professor of Vascular Surgery at the University of Leicester, and Royal College of Surgeons Vascular Specialty Lead said:

"Our clinical and health economics’ assessment shows that the NHS could save millions of pounds a year, and improve outcomes for patients, by increasing revascularisation rates and reducing the number of preventable amputations in people with PAD. As a treating clinician, I see the devastating impact that amputation has on people.

"They don't just lose a limb, they lose their confidence, their freedom, autonomy, and many lose the motivation to keep fighting their condition. We must increase awareness, provide timely diagnosis and treatment, and embrace the innovations that can reduce the number of amputations in the NHS."

You might also like…

Take a look at our guides to the best cameras for portraits, the best camera for black and white photography, and the best lens for portraits.

Owing employees more than £300,000 (about $393,000), Rankin Group, the advertising agency owned by stalwart British photographer Rankin, has filed for bankruptcy, owing a further £1m ($1.3m) to the UK tax authority HMRC. 

Full name John Rankin Waddell, he has photographed the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Madonna, and David Bowie, and set up his advertising agency, initially called Rankin Creative, five years ago.

Speaking to The Art Newspaper he said: 

"It was 100% financed and owned by me, which is why I’m the sole director, although there was a share incentive scheme," Rankin says. The company was run by eight key people, including a chief executive, finance director and managing director."

Rankin’s photography, directing and production business, Rankin & Co, is reportedly not affected by the insolvency proceedings.

He revealed to The Art Newspaper that the unfortunate financial situation with Rankin Group was caused by an unforeseen tax bill, "which meant that some staff did not receive their entire redundancy payments."

He continued: 

"The HMRC bill came as a big shock to us when we received the demand. Up until that point, we were looking at a recovery plan or, in the worst-case scenario, a winding down. Even after the demand, I tried to work out a deal, but it was just too late."

According to the information available on Companies House, £258,000 is owed to trade creditors – with this figure including prepayments of £73,000 for the year, while intercompany creditors are reportedly owed £980,000. 

The agency did well in its first few years, but began to struggle over the past two due to various pressures.

He said: 

"Whether it was due to reduced budgets around the economy or losing work to programmatic and AI-based solutions, it was a massively challenging period for us and many other services like us."

He also added that the technological revolution had essentially "gutted" a lot of creative services agencies. 

"Sadly, that is what we were selling: a bespoke creative service around storytelling and brand building. When you combined that, with the lack of face-to-face work and meetings post-covid, it’s been a perfect storm. I couldn't be more disappointed with both myself and the business for not being able to make the agency a success. I put everything I had into it, but it just wasn't enough to make it work."

While his photography and production business remains unchanged, Rankin says he’s:

"Leaving the struggle of surviving in this climate to people that I really respect and who are obviously much better at it than I am. I wish them all the luck in the world, as I’ve never experienced something quite as tough as this shift in the creative landscape."

Take a look at our guides to the best professional cameras, the best cameras for beginners, and the best cheap cameras. 

The Honor 200 and 200 Pro smartphones have been unveiled with a portrait photography focus and collaborations with Rankin and Studio Harcourt. The phones are the follow up to the Honor 90, which was an impressive, albeit slightly underpowered camera phone. The Honor 200 Series remedies its predecessor’s shortcomings by bringing the powerful Pro edition to global markets for the first time. While US availability isn’t likely, the phone will be available across Europe and in the UK.

What are the Honor 200 and 200 Pro?

Dubbed The Portrait Master by Honor, the Honor 200 and 200 Pro are upper mid-range phones with similar styling, but different screens, internals and primary camera hardware.

Both phones have up to 512GB storage, ample 5200mAh batteries, and sport glass and plastic designs with quad-curved displays. They also charge rapidly at 100W, though the Honor 200 Pro adds 66W wireless charging to the mix.

So while the Honor 200 is going head to head with phones like the Google Pixel 8a, the Honor 200 Pro takes on the pricier Pixel 8.

When it comes to the cameras, while the Honor 200 has a competitive 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX906 sensor matched with an f/1.95 aperture and a 50MP resolution, the Honor 200 Pro’s main camera ups the spec with a large, nearly iPhone 15 Pro Max-sized 1/1.3-inch sensor and a slightly wider f/1.9 aperture.

Both phones share identical secondary camera setups, with a 50MP telephoto cameras with OIS, an f/2.4 aperture, and a Sony IMX856 sensor matched with a 2.5x optical zoom equivalent lens. The phones’ ultra-wide cameras combine 12MP resolution with autofocus and macro focus, as well as an f/2.2 aperture and a 112º field of view.

Honor’s partnership with the Paris-based Studio Harcourt is credited for its updated AI Portrait Engine debuted on the Honor 200 Series - which introduces AI Shadow and Light, Optical Effects and Artistic Style Enhancement. Founded in 1933, Studio Harcourt has become world-renown for its stylized black-and-white portraits of celebrities.

The collaboration with Rankin will involve the photographer working with the Honor 200 Series ahead of an upcoming London event. Rankin even went so far as to cred advancements in AI computational photography for shifting the dial when it comes to smartphone imaging in recent times.

Honor 200 Pro additional specs

In addition to an interesting camera mix, the Honor 200 Pro is a bit of a powerhouse with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset and 12GB RAM. Out of the two, therefore, it will definitely be the gamers’ choice.

The large 6.78-inch AMOLED display gets incredibly bright at up to 4000 nits in HDR mode, and with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, content should flow as you swipe and scroll. The Honor 200 Pro is also TÜV Rheinland flicker free certified and supports 3840Hz PWM dimming as well as IP65 splash resistance, adding a touch more durability when compared to the Honor 200.

Honor 200 additional specs

The Honor 200 is slightly smaller than the Pro with its 6.7-inch display. This is still feature-packed with the same 4000 nit peak brightness, 120Hz refresh rate and 3840Hz PWM dimming, so should make for a great viewing experience. While the 200 Pro sports 512GB storage and 12GB RAM as standard, the vanilla Honor 200 starts with 256GB storage and 8GB RAM.

With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, demanding tasks like gaming or editing 4K video may grind the Honor 200 to a stutter, and the phone’s lack of wireless charging may put some off. For anyone after a slightly lighter, more compact option, however, the Honor 200 edges ahead at 187g and it should be nippy enough for day-to-day tasks.

Honor 200 price and availability

Available on Honor’s official site from today, but if you prefer picking up one of the phones from a third-party retailer, you can pre-order it from June 21 with the phones being shipped on June 28. 

As for pricing, the Honor 200 Pro costs a punchy midrange £699.99/ $960/AU$1,320, while the Honor 200 costs £499.99, approximately $640/AU$880. While we wouldn’t call either a steal on first impression, pricing seems fair given both phones’ impressive displays, batteries, and camera systems. 

We have the Honor 200 Pro in for review, so check back for our in-depth impressions in the coming weeks.

Relive some of the cultural highlights of the 1990s by viewing some key moments in Rankin’s photographic archive. 

The celebrated photographer co-founded the seminal style magazine Dazed & Confused in 1991, which launched him on the path to global recognition… and work from its first decade appears in a new London exhibition. 

Back in the Dazed runs from May 29 until June 23  and will feature work from 200 editorial photoshoots undertaken by Rankin. 

You will be able to get up close to iconic images of Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, David Bowie, U2, Helena Christensen, Skin from Skunk Anansie, Jude Law, Thom Yorke from Radiohead, Debbie Harry – any many, many more. 

The exhibition highlights one photographer and one magazine, across one memorable decade, says the organisers, noting that Rankin was at the forefront of Cool Britannia and the 1990s style which is still popular today. 

As Dazed & Confused’s first photographic editor, Rankin’s visual style helped launch the magazine and defined the aesthetics of multiple generations of British youth. 

“Those early years were great for experimentation,” he recalls. “For me, just starting out, I was like a blank canvas. 

“Because we were pretty naively fearless, we did things that ended up really changing culture. 

“It was from that time that I learnt that I love what I do, and I fell in love with the people around me – capturing them all on medium-format film.” 

Back in the Dazed is the first retrospective in the UK of Rankin’s groundbreaking work spanning 1991-2001, and is an ideal vantage point for exploring the culture and creative community of a period that was celebrated all over the world. 

During the 1990s, Rankin and Dazed & Confused challenged the mainstream, spearheading LGBTQIA+ representation, photographing working-class children, creating defining images of emerging actors and becoming the go-to photographer for Britpop bands. 

Not someone with rarefied tastes, Rankin made notions of ‘high culture’ available to everyday people. Through Dazed & Confused, Rankin gave ordinary teenagers a voice and allowed them access to everything from experimental music to contemporary art. 

Says exhibition curator Ellen Stone: “To understand Rankin’s work you need not look any further than the pages of his first magazine, a printed record of his thoughts and reactions to the world around him. 

“Dazed shaped Rankin’s photography and it in turn shaped other people’s view of the world. 

“Think of your favourite young actor or pop star from the 1990s, and invariably you will be remembering a Rankin picture.” 

Based in London, Rankin is a British photographer, publisher & film director. His iconic photography has captured everyone from The Rolling Stones to The Queen. 

His work has appeared in over 40 monograph publications and has been exhibited internationally, including at The National Portrait Gallery, London, the V&A, London, and at MoMA, New York. 

Rankin’s TV work includes The Great British Photography Challenge, for the BBC, plus The Seven Photographs that Changed Fashion and No Body’s Perfect. 

Founded as Dazed & Confused in 1991, Dazed is an independent British fashion, culture and arts magazine and is part of Dazed Media, whose portfolio includes some of the world’s most influential arts, culture and fashion titles. 

Visit Rankin’s ’Back in the Dazed’ exhibition

’Back in the Dazed’ takes place at 180 Studios, The Strand, London WC2R 1EA from 29 May- 23 June 2024. 

The exhibition is open to non-members of 180 Studios but time slots must be booked in advance. Click here to make your booking.  

If you’re really into portrait photography, you’ll want to check out the best lenses for portraits. See our best camera for portraits, and the best softbox lighting kits. 

And to shoot on a similar setup to Rankin, see the best medium-format cameras.  

Nearly half of British children have a confidence crisis when it comes to how their teeth look, but Aquafresh is looking to change that – with some help from Rankin. 

The celebrated photographer has partnered with the dental health brand to shoot a series of photos that sees primary school children show off their unique smiles for the camera – with gappy, wobbly and snaggly teeth proudly front and centre. 

As a recent study conducted by Aquafresh revealed that nearly half of British children aged 4-11 have experienced low confidence due to societal pressure regarding their dental appearance, the collaboration aims to put the pursuit of social media smiles to one side and show that “perfect teeth“ are in fact just “healthy teeth“.

“Perfection is an attitude – so being able to help kids embrace their wobbly, wonky teeth and realise what is ‘considered’ as perfect teeth doesn’t matter,” said Rankin. 

”Let’s challenge the status quo – and encourage kids to be unique and confident!” 

The portraits will be displayed in London on 27 and 28 April, between 10-5pm at Black & White Soho, 59 Greek Street, W1D 3DZ. 

According to the Aquafresh research, missing teeth, tooth color and alignment contribute significantly to children’s insecurities, with 36% admitting to feeling embarrassed to smile or laugh. 

The impact of this pressure extends beyond children, with nearly half of parents acknowledging their child’s self-consciousness regarding their teeth.

And an overwhelming 98% of parents recognize the crucial role that dental health plays in their child’s overall confidence and self-esteem. 

Dr Linda Greenwell, founder of the Dental Wellness Trust, said: “Whilst Rankin’s moving portraits demonstrate the joy in a child’s proud, toothy smile, it’s also heartbreaking to find out that half of children are feeling low in confidence due to the way their teeth look. We know that if teeth are looked after and healthy, they are perfect!

“Dental health should be as much a part of a child’s self-care routine as washing their body and getting enough sleep – especially as we navigate the Dental Health crisis in the UK, and it becomes harder than ever to secure a dentist’s appointment. I

“It’s so important for grown-ups – at home and in schools – to instil good dental hygiene habits in kids… habits will last a lifetime. 

“Aquafresh has kindly supported The Dental Wellness Trust for three years, helping us to promote oral health amongst children, and whilst we’re making huge progress this research proves that there’s still vital work to be done!” 

Monica Michalopoulou, spokesperson for Aquafresh, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil these captivating images captured by Rankin, empowering children to take pride in their healthy teeth— because healthy teeth are just perfect teeth! 

“Our longstanding commitment to shedding light on dental care challenges faced by families remains unwavering. 

“We are dedicated to our ‘Shine Bright’ schools’ campaign—a vital initiative that amplifies awareness and enriches dental education for parents, teachers, and children across the UK, that’s in it’s fifth year. 

“This program, accessible to all primary schools, emphasises the importance of early teeth brushing through fun and engaging activities.”

Visit the Rankin x Aquafresh pop-up gallery 

The Rankin x Aquafresh gallery will be open to the public on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April 2024 between 10-5pm, at Black & White Soho, 59 Greek Street, London W1D 3DZ.

If you’re really into portrait photography, you’ll want to check out the best lenses for portraits. See our best camera for portraits, and the best softbox lighting kits.  

Top fashion and portrait photographer Rankin has helped produce a ’look book’ which aims to raise awareness of acid attacks – and to help prevent them taking place. 

A new campaign from Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTi), the Tear Couture Look Book employs a format used in the fashion industry to showcase the latest styles and fabrics to tell the story of acid attack survivor Patricia Lefranc. 

The look book aims to highlight the devastating effects of acid attacks, which are more prevalent in regions where fashion and textile industries are based – due to sulphuric acid being required in large quantities. 

Photos of Lefranc modelling for Rankin illustrate the book, which also includes a foreword by ASTi patron HRH The Princess Royal. 

Noting his long-term affinity with the fashion industry, Rankin says: “I have been delighted to see the changes that have taken place within the industry in recent years to make it more sustainable and responsible. 

“When ASTi explained to me the issue of acid misuse within supply chains, I knew I had to take action.” 

Lefranc posed for Rankin at the photographer’s studio in north London. She said that being photographed “wasn't easy“, but felt it was important for her to do so, as more and more acid attacks are taking place across the world.  

“Many people are unaware of the enormous pain and suffering that acid attack survivors go through,“ she said. 

“I’m so grateful to Rankin for this opportunity to raise awareness of our situation, and to take steps together to prevent further attacks.” 

Jaf Shah, Executive Director of ASTi, said: “Industry has a key role to play in stopping incidences of acid attacks. 

“We’re so grateful to all those helping to bring this issue into the spotlight: HRH Princess Anne for writing the foreword to the Look Book and, of course, Patricia and Rankin. 

“With their support we aim to partner with businesses and make the changes needed to achieve this goal together.” 

ASTi is a charity based in the UK, but works in the UK and across the world. It is campaigning for an end to the easy access to corrosive substances that are weaponised – most often against women. 

Created with McCann Health London, the Tear Couture Look Book is a continuation of the communication agency’s Tear Couture campaign; the agency launched an ASTi report at St James’s Palace in March 2022 in the presence of HRH Princess Anne. 

As well as telling Lefranc’s story, the Tear Couture Look Book explains the role that sulphuric acid played in Britain’s Industrial Revolution, how acid attacks have become a global epidemic and the importance of supply chain oversight in restricting the future availability of corrosive liquids including hydrochloric, sulphuric and nitric acid.     

Click here to view the Tear Couture Look Book.  

In partnership with Thomson Reuters Foundation, Trustlaw and international law firm Covington, ASTi’s report on supply chain considerations for dangerous corrosives, such as acids, contains a toolkit with five key recommendations for corporates.

Maurice Mikkers’ photography of microscopic tears – which also features in the Tear Couture Look Book – was turned into an immersive VR experience where the user journeys through a 3D tear landscape while listening to the testimonials of survivors and a specially composed track by the British/Indian composer Nitin Sawhney. 

ASTI is a UK registered not-for-profit charity and the only international organisation whose sole purpose is to end acid violence at a global level. 

It has partnered with and received grants from the United Nations, the British Government and numerous foundations on delivering medical, legal, awareness raising, advocacy, rehabilitation and livelihood projects in multiple countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Uganda and Cambodia. 

ASTI was awarded an Impact Award in 2019 by the Thomson Reuters Foundation for its work on changing UK law.

Take a look at the best lenses for portraits, the best camera for portraits and best softbox lighting kits and how to practice portrait lighting without a model.  

Have you ever fancied having your portrait taken by Rankin? Now you can, as the leading British photographer and cultural provocateur is hosting another RankinLive event – a photo studio and retail experience – in the heart of London. 

While previous RankinLive events have taken place at exhibitions, department stores and art fairs, the current RankinLive has seen the photographer and his team take over a pop-up shop in one of London’s most iconic shopping streets. 

Running until 7 January at 47 Carnaby Street, Rankin recently confirmed the next round of dates that he will be shooting: 

Monday 11 Dec: 5pm-8pm

Tuesday 12 Dec: 5pm-8pm 

Saturday 16 Dec: 1pm-8pm

Sunday 17 Dec: 11am-6pm 

Here’s how it works: for £500, participants get a 15-minute photo session – either solo or with a loved one – real-time image reviews, a digital “green tag” file PDF, one authenticated A4 inkjet print of the chosen image delivered to a UK address, and one digital file of the chosen image for personal digital use. 

Click here to visit the RankinLive booking page. 

While some walk-in slots may be available on the day, due to the limited time slots, it is recommended that participants pre-book to avoid disappointment.

While Rankin needs no introduction – his portraiture is known all over the world – RankinLive, which launched in 2009, is arguably his biggest project of all. 

In these photo sessions, Rankin turns his lens on the general public, allowing them to go behind the scenes of a professional photoshoot for a unique immersive experience – participants really won’t get a better opportunity to have their portrait taken in the style of one of Rankin’s signature editorial assignments. 

His photography has been published everywhere from his own publications (Dazed & Confused, AnOther, AnOther Man and Hunger) to Elle, Vogue, Esquire, GQ, Rolling Stone and Wonderland, and exhibited in galleries around the world, including MoMA, New York, and London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.

And some famous faces are also expected to pop down to RankinLive in the weeks before Christmas – British TV star Anna Friel (pictured, above) called in for a portrait on the opening day. 

“Across a day I get to meet and photograph 20+ members of the public, and in the 15 minutes they’re with me I really feel like I get to know them,” says Rankin. “We talk, I shoot, and in the end everyone leaves the session beaming. 

“Beyond this, though, we showcase the images I shoot live on screen to anyone who wants to watch. 

“Doing this allows everyone to feel included and it becomes about so much more than me taking a photograph – it becomes a shared experience, one that celebrates creativity and community. 

“For years, I’ve had this idea of doing live photoshoots in the window of a shopfront – bringing the exclusive world of the photo industry out to the general public. 

“Carnaby Street is arguably one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, so there is no better place to launch this concept.” 

And for the first time in a physical location, Rankin has brought his Swag to a storefront. 

A range of brand new merchandise and signed gifts – from prints to books and tote bags – there will be something suitable for all budgets.

“We’ve never really done T-shirts before but we’re doing some now,“ says Rankin. 

“Obviously we’ve got some posters and prints – we haven't gone crazy on the prints because they’re not really at the price point for collectors. 

“They have been expensive and the ones in the storefront are all much more affordable – a starter price, almost.“ 

RankinLive is taking place now at 47 Carnaby Street, London W1F 9PT. 

Click here to visit the RankinLive booking page. 

Opening hours are Monday-Saturday: 10am-7pm; Sunday: 11am-6pm; Thursday: 10am-8pm.

Take a look at the best cameras for portraits, along with these portrait photography tips, to get the most out of your portraiture. 

Check out the best lens for portrait photography and browse a range of super-sharp 85mm prime lenses.

If you have a dream to shoot some of the biggest names in history, from pop culture to celebrity, and everything else in between then you're in luck as streaming masterclass platform, BBC Maestro has partnered up with world-famous photographer Rankin to teach you how to be a master at portrait photography, and you don't need to use one of the best medium format cameras to do it!

The course consists of 35 video lessons delivered by Rankin himself and starts with learning the essentials of any camera system, the course develops looks at how composition can tell different stories with our subjects and deep dives into cameras, lenses, lighting, portraiture, working with your subject, and finally post-production.

BBC Maestro, an online course platform run by the legendary broadcaster, is now seeing a 40% off access to all the masterclasses, so if you have another hobby now is the time. Edgar Wright has a filmmaking course, for example, or (a little further from DCW's territory) Marco Pierre White teaches cooking). 

Courses are reduced to just £72 /$72/ AU$107.40 for a one-year subscription to all the courses with access to over 100 hours of video lessons a year, or, if you just want to learn from Rankin, then you own this course for life a price discounted to  just $53.40 /£47.40/ AU$83.40 (approx $57 / AU$90). These offers finish at midnight (GMT) on October 31.

Better yet if you're struggling to think of what to give to a photographer friend or loved one in your life as a special present, you can also gift BBC Maestro courses or a whole BBC Maestro subscription making you the favorite gift giver of all! 

Who is Rankin?

Rankin has photographed some of the most recognizable celebrities and public figures in history, including The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Kate Moss, and even the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

As well as his portraiture, Rankin has shot iconic music videos for the likes of Miley Cyrus and Rita Ora, created advertising campaigns for brands such as Rolls Royce and Samsonite, and published over 40 books and magazines, including Dazed & Confused, which he co-founded with Jefferson Hack in 1991.

His work has been featured not only on the glossy pages of Vogue, GQ, and Rolling Stone, but also on the walls of the world-famous Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and MoMA in New York

• Rankin interview: “If I want to do something, I don't see any mountain too high"
• Rankin uses camera phone to capture the return of nighttime culture
• Rankin interview: pandemic portraits, film vs digital

Did you know that the world’s most famous recording studio has launched a competition exclusively for music photographers? And it's free to enter! The Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards (MPA) kicked off in February last year and is back again for 2023 with a brand new judging panel of leading industry experts. 

Photographers both established and undiscovered across the globe can enter into the awards from today until the deadline of July 18, 2023, for a chance to win one of the six open-entry categories – plus the opportunity to receive a one-to-one mentorship session with renowned photographer and awards co-founder, Rankin. 

• These are the best lenses for concert photography 

The Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards is one of the only photography competitions to celebrate the art and talent that goes into music photography. It was the first of its kind before the inaugural So.co Music Photographer of the Year Awards launched earlier this year, with judges that included legendary photographer Dave Hogan, as well as photography enthusiast-slash-McFly's bass player, Dougie Poynter. 

This year's judging panel of industry experts for the Awards include Rankin, photographer Vicky Grout, BRIT-award winner Cat Burns, singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, New York Times Deputy Photo Editor Nakyung Han, stylist and consultant Karen Binns, creative director Matthew Josephs, and US photographer Eric Johnson (who was last year's MPA Icon Award Winner). 

Abbey Road Studios' own photographer-in-residence, Simon Wheatley, will also join the judging panel to provide assistance with the Underground Scenes category.

One important thing to be aware of: The Abbey Road Studios MPA aims to recognize the previous year’s most memorable and magical live music photos, so for this reason, all submitted images must have been captured in 2022 only (more specifically between January 1st, 2022 to December 31st, 2022) and any images captured outside of this time frame won't be accepted. 

The six open categories for music photographers are Undiscovered Photographer of the Year, Music Moment of the Year Award (supported by Outernet), Underground Scenes Award (supported by Abbey Road Studios), Live Music Award (supported by Philips Ambilight TV), In The Studio Award, and Hip Hop 50 (supported by Hennessy).

For the special 2023 Hip Hop category, and on this occasion only, the MPAs will be accepting photos from the last 50 years (1st January 1973 – 31st December 2022) to serve as a vibrant homage to the 50-year Anniversary of Hip Hop photography. 

The invited categories, which are invitation-only and not open for entry, are the Portrait Award, Editorial Award, Artist at Work Award, and Icon Award. These categories were established to recognize outstanding contributions to music photography.

Rankin has shared that "The MPAs is close to my heart because I founded the awards together with Abbey Road. This is our opportunity to celebrate what music photography means, not just to the audience and the musicians, but to the photographers behind the lens."

"This year, I'll be giving you the opportunity to win a day's mentorship with me on a music shoot, so make sure to get your entry in before 18 July...It doesn’t matter if you’re emerging, or a celebrated professional photographer, we want you to enter because we want your photographs to be seen." 

You heard Rankin... get your entries into the Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards 2023 before the 18th of July to be in with the chance of receiving global recognition for your talent and skills. Entries are free so there's really no excuse. 

• You might also be interested in our interviews with music photography legends; David Hogan, as well as Denis O'Regan, and Jennifer McCord. 

• See the top tips from Pro Christie Goodwin on How to get started in live music photography, plus her 5 tips for editing music photos. This is everything you need to know about music photography from the Abbey Road experts.

A new photographic coffee table book is set to be released this month by renowned photographer, Rankin. The new limited run publication comprises 68-page color photographic collection of dandelions that are burning and camouflaged in flames. 

The idea behind An Exploding World, as it is titled, explores the aesthetic of destruction through apocalyptic-style imagery that is reminiscent of acts of war involving nuclear explosions, as well as the intricacy of comets on fire. 

• Looking for the Best photo books?

Rankin’s latest coffee-table book highlights the importance of using your creativity as a tool for nurturing both your personal as well as mental well being. A companion series to his earlier release, Embrace (Rankin Publishing, 2021), this book is said to be very personal to the photographer, and an intimate take on areas of artistic expression, coping mechanisms for frustration felt during lockdown isolation, and a celebration of the expressive creativity that emerged as a result of his emotions.

Alongside the new and exclusive imagery from Rankin that is featured in An Exploding World, the book will contain a personal introduction from Rankin himself, and an interview with the artist discussing the inspiration he had behind the idea for his works and the detailing of his process will be included. 

“My still life works feel like some of the purest images I’ve taken since the 90s...They exist in the same world as my portraits or nudes, a fresh realization of my fascination with beauty and death." Shares Rankin, "these two themes have fascinated me throughout my career. And, as I get older, they start to become more intertwined in my imagination.”

Regarded as a photographer who is often synonymous and caught up with the world of celebrity portraiture and high profile beauty campaigns, An Exploding World explores the other side of Rankin’s artistic output and expression. 

Taking dandelions (certified symbols of courage, growth, hope and healing) and setting them on fire is how Rankin was able to find his own visual metaphor to interpret how he had been feeling, as well as doubling as a metaphor for the bleak state of the world around him as it appeared during the UK lockdown period. 

“For years now I’ve been obsessed with the perfection of a dandelion seed head" he shares. "Seen as weeds, they grow absolutely everywhere, especially in the city. And during a time of great stress, there was comfort in them.” He continues, “when fire burns through the forest, the old growth burns away to allow space for the new forest to emerge. Through burning these dandelions I was clearing space mentally. Finding a new outlet for my creativity.”

An Exploding World is said to be an intensely personal project for Rankin; one immeasurably entangled with his own mental health. During 2020, Rankin found himself for the first time in his 30 year career being closed off from his studio and collaborators as the entire world was brought into an isolated standstill. 

Forced to find another way to create works without face-to-face interaction with models, the portrait photographer turned to nature.The photo book was designed by long-time Rankin collaborators, SEA, and made in partnership with specialist papermaker Fedrigoni, and printed by TEAM.

“So much of photography today is only viewed digitally, but making imagery tangible is such an intrinsic part of the creative process and fundamental to the overall sensory effect. I wanted the physicality of this study to come through in the materials used to create the book." Shared Rankin. "As such, the duality of the themes in the photographic work is echoed in the paper used to print it."

"The rough bronze-hued texture of the paper, for me, is a nod to my nostalgic childhood fascination with dandelions. It’s an embodiment of the fuzzy, sepia-tinted photos of yesteryear – a time, as a child, where perhaps life just seemed simpler. This is in contrast to the smoother Tatami paper used for the images, allowing the licks of flames and the minute perfection of the dandelion to pop out in hyper detail; its anatomical and metaphorical beauty magnified.”

Rankin’s newest coffee-table book An Exploding World is available now for purchase in the UK and Europe, priced at £45 in a Hardback format. It will be launched globally, including the US and Canada, available for purchase from mid July 2022 for approximately $60 / AU$93.

Read more:

Best photo books in the UK
Best books on photography
Best macro lenses
Rankin tells all in TV's The Waiting Room
Best camera for macro photography
Rankin uses camera phone to capture the return of nighttime culture
Flaming good photography – learn how to photograph fire!

A new online community project has been launched by the geniuses at RANKIN CREATIVE – an offshoot agency from the world-renowned British photographer Ranin – to challenge unfair censorship on online platforms. 

Called THE UNSEEN, the project will be open to anyone who has experienced content or account removal, promotion/ad ban or shadow banning, and look to showcase their work to audiences.

“Censorship is a necessary tool to prevent fake news, protect children and more. But it is often used inadvertently to silence marginalized voices,” said Creative Founder & Photographer, Rankin. The aim is that this project will strike up a positive debate around the topic of censorship, to see how attitudes and working practices might change towards it in the future.

The statistics of those who have joined the unseen community highlight the diverse reasons that marginalized people feel they are being censored online. Female body and sexism came in at at 29.6%, with experiences of homophobia at 10%.

Although the project is in the early stages, it has already generated a big buzz, with hundreds of participants globally sharing their stories and images. from all over the world sharing their stories and joining the discussion. “We’ve had an incredible response so far, and we’re just getting started,” says Rankin. “This is an important issue, and those affected deserve to have a voice in the policies that affect them on the platforms they love and build their businesses on.”

There will be a public gallery show to launch the project at the Digital-first Quantus Gallery in Shoreditch, London. The varied exhibition will include posts and stories submitted by entrants, as well as portraits that have been captured by Rankin that have been turned interactive by an experiential design team Media.Monks.

“We wanted to put the viewer back in control, and subvert the relationship we have with the images we see online, so working with Media.Monks was ideal. I also think it’s important to show how emerging technologies like 8th Wall can be used positively, to make things fairer,” adds Rankin, who is well known for being a disrupter in the art and photography world.

The UNSEEN website will launch on the June 15 at 7pm and be open to the public from the 16 - 24 June at Quantus Gallery 11-29 Fashion Street, London, E1 6PX.

Read more:

Rankin interview
Flickr campaign tackles photography
The best professional cameras

The Waiting Room is a series of short films that celebrate the extraordinary work of the NHS. The series began as an initiative organized by Dr Sukh Dubb, a trainee facial surgeon who currently works for the NHS, and has himself experienced the hardships of homelessness and grew up in poverty as a young child. 

Celebrities and public figures including renowned photographer and director, Rankin, are set to appear in the series by Dr Sukh who each share intimate stories with a focus surrounding the NHS and their personal healthcare journeys. 

• Looking for the best 4K camera for video?

Dr Sukh's aim in creation of The Waiting Room is to inspire and comfort others, encouraging them not to feel alone by speaking up and through sharing their own personal journeys and stories as told through interviews with public figures and celebrities throughout this collection of short emotive films. 

The films that comprise The Waiting Room will be made available to view gradually and uploaded on a new site launched today that celebrates the NHS, the staff, and their individual stories, reflecting on times of hardship as well as the global pandemic.

British photographer Rankin has shared not only the origin of his photography passions, but also the impacts and sacrifices his profession demanded. His experiences of the NHS working as a porter, as well as his NHS portraits project are discussed in the series whilst Rankin also explores his own mental health journey, and the benefits he found of seeking counseling.

Joining Rankin in The Waiting Room series is BBC Broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire, OBE, actor & comedian Sanjeev Bhaskar, author of Brick Lane & Love Marriage: Monica Ali, Professor Laura Serrant OBE, Amazon best-seller Dale Vincent, the father of Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, as well as BBC presenters Monika Plaha and Louise Stewart, to name just a few celebrity and figure participants.  

Dr Sukhpreet Singh Dubb has previously spoken about his own experiences, and how he champions national widening participation programmes for other underprivileged children, and was invited to the White House, United Nations and House of Commons. 

Interviews with several acclaimed surgeons, social workers, a life coach, a pioneer in IVF treatment and a few of the top 50 most influential UK GP's feature in this series. 

Intense subject matter and topics are discussed in an honest manner, including but not limited to mental health, domestic abuse, breast cancer, eating disorders, stroke activism, drug use, counselling, career journeys, racism, humanitarian crises, bullying, childhood trauma, sexual abuse and gender discrimination.

Members of the public also involved with the emotive series include Waleed Khan, whom is a survivor of multiple shootings that occured in a Taliban school attack. Khan was saved and rehabilitated by the NHS, and is now an anti-radicalisation activist.

Rebecca Langley is one of many inspiring success stories also to feature in The Waiting Room, she became a Triathlon athlete after having recovered from bowel cancer, as well as multiple cardiac arrests, when also in intensive care.

A quote from Rankin taken during the series states that: “As an NHS porter I would sometimes do the night-shift and hold the crash bleep, running for crash calls, seeing people being let go who were not for resuscitation and understanding why that was.”

Interesting quotes from Professor Laura Serrant (OBE), who is included in the powerlist of the 100 most influential Britons of African/African Caribbean descent, share her powerful story as an NHS nurse. “I don’t want you to touch me, your hands are black, they are never clean.." she recalls someone saying to her on her first day as a student nurse. “In no other place have I seen the inhumanity of person to person as in AIDS care in the 80’s and 90’s” she also states. 

This series featuring Rankin and in celebration of our wonderful NHS is available to view online at its official website from today. 

• Read more: 

Best professional cameras
Best infrared thermometers
Best pulse oximeter
Best otoscope
Fujifilm donates instax cameras to NHS workers to help aid coronavirus effort

A charity print sale featuring contributors from 88 artists, including Steve McCurry and Rankin, is raising money for the COVID-19 crisis in India by selling limited edition photography prints.

The Creative Seva India appeal – with "seva" meaning "selfless service" – boasts luminaries such as Lorena Lohr, Himali Singh Soin, Inez and Vinoodh, Mary McCartney, Yelena Yemchuk, Bibi Borthwick, Josh Olins and many more. 

• Read more: 50 best photographers ever

The photographs on offer span all manner of photographic genres, from abstract landscapes and surreal macro to raw reportage and editorial portraiture – such as Ellen Von Unwerth's striking shot of Miley Cyrus.

Each image is limited to just 50 prints, which are being sold for £100 (approximately $141 / AU$183) including shipping to anywhere in the world. The entirety of the proceeds will be divided up equally and donated to three charities working on the ground in India: 

Khalsa Aid (which is distributing oxygen concentrators in Delhi), the Hemkunt Foundation (distributing oxygen cylinders around Delhi National Capital Region) and Feeding From Far (which is working with NGO Prayatna to distribute food in Mumbai to those severely affected by the pandemic).

The image sale is taking place on www.creativeseva.com, and runs until mid June. This is a wonderful opportunity to get some fantastic pieces of photographic art, while helping an incredible cause and a nation that is in dire need of help. 

Read more: 

Best camera for portraits
Best camera for landscape photography
Best travel camera

“Hello photographers…” Rankin’s regular greeting on The Great British Photography Challenge sounds like it may well become a catchphrase in the photographic community – if it hasn’t done so already. 

Here at Digital Camera World, we’ve really enjoyed the BBC4 show so far and now we’re heading towards the final episode, with episode three of four being screened this week. 

• Read more: Best professional cameras

If you haven’t seen The Great British Photography Challenge yet, then you can watch it on catch-up via the BBC iPlayer here. The show will be available for one year.

So what better time to have a quick catch-up with the six participants and find out how they’ve enjoyed their time as protégés of the celebrated portrait photographer Rankin and his in-house creative team…

Contestant 1: Ali Lewis 

By her own admission, Ali is not the most technically minded photographer. She enjoys shooting nature and landscape photography and her ability to draw stylistic elements from those genres and use them in challenges outside her comfort zone has seen her create some compelling images on the programme. 

“I learnt that I could incorporate some of the things that I love about nature into completely different genres of photography,” she says. 

“I love the light that beams through the trees in the forest and the amazing shapes and textures of leaves, ferns, branches and many more things. I could see these things in people or in a city and when I had to plan an assignment I used this to help me.” 

When asked how she developed as a photographer over the course of the series, Ali says: “I’m more confident as a photographer now than I was! I’ve always shied away from taking photos in public or of people as I was too nervous or just thought I couldn’t do it. 

“This whole process has pushed me to do things I would never have done in my everyday life, for example approaching random people and asking to take their photo, and that has had such a positive effect on my photography and on me as a person.”

Contestant 2: Chelsea Nawanga

The fashion photographer of the group, Chelsea didn’t have to wait long to find herself in not-unknown territory – in the first episode, we saw her and the other contestants on a location shoot with British actor Anna Friel. 

Having studied Rankin’s work as a photography student, Chelsea must have pinched herself when she was given the opportunity to be mentored by him in the series. 

“His photographs were part of my photography project at university,” she reveals. “Understanding his art form for portraiture just blew my mind.” 

So how did she respond to feedback from Rankin and his team on her work – was it all constructive, or were there things she didn’t agree with? 

“I did receive some criticism. I didn’t take it in a negative way because they’re professionals and they know exactly what you have to deliver and how to execute it in a more logical way.” 

Although she’s an experienced photographer, Chelsea felt that the hardest aspect of the show was trying to execute some of the challenges and get them right. The highlight, though, was the camaraderie between the participants.

“Although it was a competition, we all helped each other out if we were stuck, and that was amazing,” she recalls. “Even though we were competing against each other we never allowed another one of us to fail. We just got together and just helped each other out.”

Contestant 3: Georgie Peel

Specialising in street photography, Georgie also found herself shooting different types of image on The Great British Photography Challenge. But whatever the challenge, she never produced images just to please Rankin. 

“I have learnt over the last couple of years that it’s just not the way forward,” she explains. “You just can’t please everyone but I feel that if you shoot with emotion, empathy and conviction and stay true to oneself then that is how you thrive. If Rankin liked the work then that was a beautiful bonus.”

Self-taught and still with much to learn, she says, Georgie’s experiences on the show have definitely made her a better photographer: “It has been an invaluable experience and I cannot express how much it has done for me and how I approach my work. 

“I have more focus on what it is that I am trying to say. The continuity of my work is more streamlined. My camera knowledge is ten times better. My understanding of myself is more precise and I feel very comfortable talking about my work and expressing why it is that I do what I do.”

Contestant 4: Jackson Moyles

Landscape photographer Jackson describes The Great British Photography Challenge as “the ultimate photography taster session.” 

He says that the show has pieced together a lot of gaps within his photography: “Getting thrown into the deep end with a lot of genres of photography I had never experienced before has really improved my skill.” 

When asked if he felt that people can be mentored into becoming a better photographer, Jackson says: “Obviously, everybody could study the camera manual but ultimately, like any other craft, I believe you’ll only improve so much no matter the tutor. You cannot buy the eye.” 

And he reveals that his biggest takeaway from the show was to never doubt himself or his ability. 

“Some of the greatest moments during the process came when I stuck with my gut and refused to let negative ideas creep into my head,” he says. 

“The ability to balance that alongside taking in valuable information from my fellow photographers, Rankin and his team, or whoever, is something I have improved on drastically as well.” 

Contestant 5: Paul Williams

A wildlife specialist, Paul is one of the most technically accomplished photographers in the group, having crafted his style over many years while patiently waiting in hides for a fleeting moment of animal behaviour – whatever the weather. 

But many of the challenges and assignments on the show took Paul a long way from situations he was most comfortable with – with photographing fashion models and a celebrity being just two examples. 

Was receiving regular feedback on styles of photography that were new to him difficult to get used to? 

“I see feedback as a gift,” Paul says. “You can choose to accept all of it, part of it or none of it. If you continue to make the same mistakes then maybe it’s time to scrub the last part.” 

Paul had a personal mission during the show. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, which is helped by being amongst and photographing nature. 

“Because I saw this series as an opportunity to get my message out about the power of photography to help our physical and emotional wellbeing, I dug deep and came through the process with a greater understanding of myself, my photography, and the direction I want to take. That’s my highlight from the programme.”

Contestant 6: Tyrone Williams

Abstract photography is Tyrone’s speciality and from the very start of the show, his distinctive take on image creation was always in evidence – even when working in a studio environment with Anna Friel, he wasn’t afraid to raise a few eyebrows among the professionals and push against some of the conventions of portraiture. 

Given his preferred genre, Tyrone prefers to express himself through his images, so we wonder if having to respond to feedback from Rankin and his team took a bit of getting used to… 

“The hardest stages of the show were really trying to explain the ideologies and reasons for why I have a set style and interest in certain subjects,” Tyrone says. 

“I’ve always stayed away a little from explaining my work as I usually let the photos do all the talking but the challenge on this show was to give it all a reason.” 

Was there any criticism that Tyrone didn’t agree with, or did he find it all very constructive? 

“There were a few times I disagreed with their opinion but with photography I think you’re always going to get challenged on your perspective. It’s how you respond and hold on to your opinions and vision that counts. 

“I used the words as fuel for the next shoot; good or bad criticism would only make me more sure of a particular direction. I didn’t want it to stop my drive for getting the photo!” 

ORIGINAL STORY (07 April 2021): The BBC has announced a brand new show, The Great British Photography Challenge, due to air this summer on TV and online, with photography luminaries Rankin and Chris Packham at the center of the broadcast.

The name of the program suggests that it will take its cues from the monstrously successful former BBC property, The Great British Bakeoff. Where that show had Paul Hollywood as its silver-haired mentor, The Great British Photography Challenge will see Rankin serve as tutor and taskmaster for its four episodes, which will air on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer (international details are TBC, but it's likely to land on one of the best streaming services outside the UK).

• Read more: Best TV shows about photography

Six contestants will face themed weekly challenges across the United Kingdom, from beaches to boxing matches, with each episode starting with a one-hour challenge to deliver a winning shot using just a camera phone. 

From there they will face specific projects with celebrity photographers including BBC presenter and award-winning wildlife photographer Chris Packham, documentary photographer Maryam Wahid and street photographer Lamarr Golding. 

The final challenge revolves around a magazine cover shoot featuring actress Anna Friel, and a fashion shoot led by stylist and fashion editor Cheryl Konteh, requiring the contestants to navigate models, makeup artists, picture editors and high-pressure commercial environments. 

"This has been an incredible opportunity to nurture the next generation of photographers," said Rankin. "All the contestants had such unique and varied backgrounds, but what brought them together was their love for photography. The contestants have exceptional promise and I’m excited for the UK to see their talent.”

If you'd like to hear more about Rankin's philosophy on portraiture, make sure to check out his headline talk from the Super Stage at The Photography Show: Spring Shoots. You can watch his one-hour 'Powerful Portraits: The people who care for the people' presentation on demand right here. 

Read more: 

Best TV shows about photography
Best camera phones
Best books on fashion photography
Five creative and abstract photography tips
Best podcasts for photographers

Rankin has provided a tender set of images for a new campaign focusing on intimacy and sex in our later years. 

The leading portrait photographer has collaborated with UK relationships charity Relate to provide the visuals for Let’s Talk The Joy of Later Life Sex, which aims to tackle the stigma around this unspoken subject. 

Shooting five older couples and one woman in their most intimate settings, Rankin and Relate set out to show what sex and intimacy can mean in later life, in a way that hasn’t been attempted before. And the results appear nationwide from today. 

Let’s Talk the Joy of Later Life Sex aims to challenge the notion that older people shouldn’t, couldn’t and wouldn’t want to have sex and be intimate.

This is an assumption borne out by the results of a poll undertaken by 3Gem market research, where two-thirds of over 65s (67%) say sex and intimacy for their age group is rarely (43%) or never (24%) represented in the media, compared with a fifth (20%) of 18 to 24-year-olds. 

The majority (60%) of people aged over 65 aren’t comfortable talking openly to anyone about sex and intimacy, citing embarrassment as the top reason (66%). 

Rankin, who took on the campaign pro-bono, says: “The simple fact is that we all need intimacy now more than ever – and age, of course, really is just a number. 

“The greatness of love and affection – the very things we can’t stop writing books, films, and pop songs about – doesn’t need to change as we find our later years. 

“This campaign sets out to break convention, and that’s what it did, both before and behind the camera.”

Rankin’s images feature a range of older people, from Daphne and Arthur who still hold hands when they walk, Andrew and Mark who have been together for 31 years, to Chrissie – who has had a double mastectomy – and her partner Roger. 

Rankin’s subjects may be drawn from varying ethnicities, sizes, shapes and sexualities, but they all show that it’s fine to feel empowered to think and talk about sex and intimacy as we grow older. 

The campaign champions the importance of sex and intimacy in later life, and explores everything from long-term love to new adventures, from tender intimacy to the more risqué.

Healthy relationships play a big part in our happiness levels, and the relationships charity Relate is there to provide support – whether you're facing difficulties, looking to strengthen your relationships, or just want help thinking things through. 

Relate’s services include Sex Therapy and counselling for couples, individuals and families. 

Relate sex therapist Gail Thorne said: “What we're trying to do today is open up a society-wide conversation about the fact that sex and intimacy – whatever that might mean – can be as important for older people as it is for anyone else. 

“In reality, 'sex and intimacy in later life' means different things to different people: for some it's about exploring new and different sexual experiences, and for others it's simply about feeling able to express emotion through a gentle touch or kiss on the cheek.” 

Visit Relate to find out about the services available, which include sex therapy and counselling for couples, individuals and families. 

Read more

Rankin interview: ‘How I approach music and portraits’

The best lenses for portrait photography

The best camera for shooting portraits

Since the quirky pop star Björk posed for him in 1994, Rankin has spent over 25 years shooting the biggest names in music – from 1970s icons Debbie Harry and David Bowie to modern-day artists such as Rita Ora and Akala. Nearly 200 of his classic music portraits feature in his new book Play, which combines his bold portraiture with his behind-the-scenes stories of working with music legends. 

Last year was a busy one for Rankin, with a number of major projects alongside his usual workload. One of the most significant of these was his series of 12 portraits of key NHS workers, to mark the National Health Service's 72nd anniversary, made even more poignant by the COVID pandemic. He discussed this very project in his headline hour-long talk on the Super Stage at The Photography Show: Spring Shoots, which you can watch on demand right here. 

On top of the NHS project came his Sky Arts TV series Rankin’s 2020 and the digital exhibition Lost for Words, which featured famous people photographed alongside background images of those close to them who had died. The idea of Lost for Words was to highlight the need to discuss grief and death openly. 

Despite his hectic work schedule, Rankin took time out to talk to Digital Camera about the book Play; his inspirations; his journey through documenting the biggest faces in the music business; his creative approach, his marriage of film and digital work; and some of his more bizarre encounters with music legends. 

Are there any photographers you admire who shoot music photography, and how did they inspire you or your work? 

A lot of the photographers I really looked up to when I was just starting out took incredible images of musicians. It was album covers that were among my first photographic inspirations. Whether it was David Bailey taking pictures of the Rolling Stones or Gered Mankowitz' images of The Jam, these photographers were taking incredible portraits, and seemed to just get to the essence of the people they photographed. I guess my love of portrait photography has some roots there. 

What circumstances led to you first photographing musicians?

My first big session with a musician was with Björk. Her record company reached out to Dazed & Confused, and asked if I wanted to do a press session. It was nerve-wracking since she was already iconic by 1994, and I was right at the beginning of my career. 

How does getting commissioned for portraits of musicians normally work?

This all depends on the project. I shoot musicians for press imagery, where their team will reach out and commission me, but sometimes I invite people in to be photographed for editorials for my magazine Hunger. 

Tell us more about your creative thought processes for your music portraits.

I’m a big believer in letting people express themselves. Musicians, in their nature, have to be performers, and I’m here to capture that. A photo shoot where the person I’m shooting is uncomfortable or not being themselves will never work – so I talk and get to know the sitter… and we go from there. 

Do you have a favorite musician you’ve photographed? 

There are quite a few people I’ve photographed where I would jump at the chance of photographing them again. The Rolling Stones are undoubtedly up there. And maybe Bono – he’s got an incredible energy, and can really connect with a photographer. 

What are the biggest challenges when you photograph famous musicians?

Photographing icons comes with its own set of challenges. If you’re photographing someone iconic, like Debbie Harry, then the hardest thing isn’t anything to do with them – it’s all to do with you. These are people where you have seen thousands of incredible images of them, each of these iconic shots are burnt into your mind. So when I approach a shoot with them, I have to try to shut that out.

It would be so easy to be referential, but you get a better image if you connect with famous musicians and shoot them as they are, not how you imagine them to be. But, ultimately, the images you put out have to fit the story: Björk needs to look like Björk, Madonna like Madonna. 

What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened while you were photographing a musician?

I’ve been mobbed when photographing a musician in public, but I guess for international stars that would be part and parcel. Maybe when David Bowie turned up to our Dazed & Confused shoot with a wolf mask, which he proceeded to wear for quite a long time – I honestly thought I was going to have one of the most iconic faces in music sit for me and no-one would know who it was! 

Do you have any favorite lighting set-ups for your portraits? 

I wouldn’t say I have one particular style I use all the time. I like to take my cue from the person I’m photographing, and what they’re saying with their musical persona. Some musicians suit lots of shadow and contrast, others something softer. The majority of my work is studio-based, so I can control all of the elements. I think I’m probably more wedded to the location of my shoots than the set-ups themselves. 

Did your approach to music portraits change between working for Dazed & Confused and, later, shooting for Hunger? 

My style has definitely changed over the last 30 years. I was brasher, invasive and more 'in your face' with Dazed; I think I’ve mellowed a bit now, though. I give the person I’m shooting more room. It feels like more of a collaboration, rather than an interrogation. 

Many of the subjects in Play appear to be relaxed, yet edgy – were you going for a certain look, or has that evolved over time? 

I’ve tried to define my look many times in the past. It’s one of those things I get asked a lot. In reality, though, I don’t know if I have a style per se, more of a way of connecting. I go for an emotional connection with the sitter, a bond that will come across – hopefully not just for me, but for the audience who looks at the image later. 

What, if anything, do you do to relax the subjects in your portraits? 

Ask any one of my team, and they’ll say I like to talk. I don’t go prodding, I don’t tease or provoke; I will talk and joke with you. I know even superstars don’t always like having their photo taken, so my aim is to make it as comfortable as possible. 

Your music portraits span more than 25 years – do you have any favorite music from this period, or do you prefer older music? 

Music has always played an important part in my life. There is always music playing in my studio, and it’s not all one era. I’ve learnt to let my team take control of the Spotify playlist, and so I get a real mix of my heroes, like The Rolling Stones, and some 1990s nostalgia, like The Stone Roses and Oasis. They also turn me on to new artists – the first time I heard Celeste’s music would have been when I was on set. 

Has the digital camera era changed your photography or your way of working? 

I do love film: the excitement and love I have for my analogue cameras, especially the ones I was using when I started my career, is definitely there. However, the shift to digital, with the increase in the number of shots I could take and the chance to instantly review my work… it changed my way of working completely. Now I can show and talk models through what I’m thinking, and my team can see everything every step of the way. It’s increased our communication, and helped bring the collaborative spirit I love into every shoot. 

What was the image selection for the book?

It’s always difficult to narrow down your selection. There are always more images and more people than pages in a coffee table book. Once we hit on the idea of splitting the chapters down into themes, not chronologically like other retrospectives have been, it was easier to identify the glue that was holding the images together. Sometimes the thing that takes the most time is working out the narrative, not choosing which images to use to tell it.

Going back through my archive, the funniest thing I came across was how many of these images the artists didn’t like at the time. Their hair was out of place, they didn’t like the shoot’s concept, they didn’t like me… but now, how those images seem to perfectly embody who they were; like all of the little bits that make a shoot. The hair, make-up and styling all come together to codify their career. 

I’m always trying to do that with my work. I’m taking a photograph not just to capture that person at that point in time… I want to create that picture; the image that tells you everything you need to know.

If anyone were thinking of buying Play, how would you describe it to them? 

Rock ’n’ roll photography publishing.

What is your current kit for shooting portraits?

Lockdown has thrown a little bit of a spanner in the works for portrait shoots right now. The key thing for me, though… a face mask!

What advice would you give to young aspiring photographers for shooting portraits? 

Find your own way to connect with the sitter and be empathetic. It can be daunting in front of a photographer’s lens, so find a way to make them relax and trust you. Remember, you’re building the image together. 

What’s up next for you?

I’m busy as always! But I’ve got some great projects with flowers, something I began experimenting with during the first lockdown. I’ll be releasing more of these over the next couple of months. They’re something a little personal and outside the box for me, so that’s exciting.

Watch Rankin's Super Stage talk right here

Read more: 

The 50 best photographers ever
Best books on photography
The Photography Show Spring Shoots

The Photography Show has officially announced the speakers for the Super Stage at the Spring Shoots event on 6 & 7 March, including one of the world's most renowned celebrity photographers, Rankin. The Super Stage will also see talks from other inspiration photographers and filmmakers, such as Magnum photographer Nanna Heitmann and pioneer of color photography Joel Meyerowitz.

Rankin will be discussing his approach to his recent portrait series focusing on the NHS during lockdown in 2020. He photographed 12 individuals from across the NHS who played a critical role in managing the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying "As the coronavirus pandemic began to unfold, I was moved by the incredible effort of people across the NHS and I wanted to document who they are and their role in fighting this disease." 

• Read more: The Photography Show Spring Shoots Virtual Festival

However, Rankin won't be the only legendary photographer to grace the virtual Super Stage. He'll be joined by Magnum photographer Nanna Heitmann, who will be discussing her previous and ongoing bodies of work that deal with issues of isolation.

Other Super Stage speakers include Joel Meyerowitz, an award-winning street photographer and a pioneer of color photography, and Brooke Shaden, a fine art photographer who explores the dichotomy of darkness and light within people. Shaden will be taking her audience through the aspects of critique that she finds most helpful.

Finally, Tim Flach will also be welcomed to the Super Stage. Known for his striking animal portraiture, Flach will be discussing his body of work – particularly in context of what depicts of animals can most powerfully connect us with them and evoke empathy. 

The Photography Show Spring Shoots Virtual Festival will be held on 6 & 7 March. Make sure to register for The Photography Show Spring Shoots Virtual Festival here for free to access dozens of talks and demos to help you find inspiration and perfect your craft while staying safe at home. Super Stage sessions will be charged at £6.99 per session – or you can gain access to all of them for just £24.99. 

Read more

Best Nikon camera
Best Canon camera
Best Fujifilm camera
Best Panasonic camera
Best Sony camera