Lynchpix : A Retrospective 2024

Welcome again to my annual review of life behind my lens shooting in and around the United Kingdom for the world’s press & a raft of commercial clients

For those of you discovering my work for the first time, let me introduce myself. I’ve been a professional photographer my entire working life; over twenty years capturing moments in time, the majority of that working within the British press. A wide-ranging & varied array of commercial clients also keep me particularly busy.

I’m very fortunate to say I absolutely love what I do. The one frustration about the job is that the best image taken may not necessarily be the best frame to illustrate a particular story or campaign, meaning my own favourite image will not be used, or even seen.

Since 2010, the homepage of my website has become an outlet for this material in the form of “Image of the Week”. A place where these photographs can be viewed & appreciated. It’s not always an award-winner, rather an honest slice of day-to-day life.

2024 began in Soho on my longstanding project with the Evening Standard shooting their “Where I Live” area guide. A page I have been contributing to for over a decade now. This week’s subject was the charismatic publican Oisin Rogers; Co-Owner of The Devonshire, a stunning pub that serves quite possibly the best pint of Guinness in W1.

Staying on task for the Standard, my highlight of week two was a fantastic portrait session with textiles designer Amechi Mandi in Clapton. This photographed was captured in the stunning Tram Store cafe right beside the station.

Week three’s ‘fave frame’ was from an interesting feature on celebrity haunt Layla Bakery on the Portobello Road in West London.

I wrapped up January with a cool portrait session in the winter sun with author Elizabeth Day outside one of my favourite little hidden haunts; Italo Delicatessen on Bonnington Square.

I began February at the theatre with Irish writer, director & actress Lisa Dwan ahead of her one-woman show ‘Blackshore’ at the Riverside Studios right beside Hammersmith Bridge.

Our next highlight was from a session with Hackney fashion designer Chet Lo at his studio.

Next up was particularly fun working alongside British contemporary artist Philip Colbert in his Spitalfields studio chock-full of his very unique & vibrant art pieces.

An early start on a very wet February morning was next with fashion designer Sinead O’Dwyer in Tottenham. Thankfully I managed to sweet-talk the Cafe Lemon staff on West Green Road to let us use their spot for the portrait. An extremely photogenic little spot it was, too.

I was pretty pleased with this one; all things considered…

Back on duties for the Evening Standard, I found myself at one of London’s highest points; Alexandra Palace taking in the views towards the City of London.

From North to deepest, darkest West London for my next assignment photographing television personality Jenni Falconer in the lush green surroundings of Wimbledon park. Behind her is one of the capital’s last remaining windmills.

I was in the square mile next for an very tight portrait session with Ireland’s Minister of Finance Pat McGrath. We had literally minutes with the man as he raced from one meeting to another…

A walkabout in West London was next on my assignments list documenting the enormous 2.6 million square-foot architectural majesty of Westfield White City.

This was a great fun portrait session with internationally recognised DJ Amazonica. Her awesome lickle dog Sidney Viscious just out of shot…

I was on familiar ground in London’s Eastend next for a ramble around the recently redeveloped (£13million!) Young V&A, Bethnal Green.

Next was a lovely studio session with Whitehall’s landmark Raffles Hotel’s Director of Sales & Marketing Jill O’Hare. This entryway is very well known. I really wanted to use it in a shot, but from a different perspective. I found a great angle hanging over a balcony. What a staircase!

Another little side-project here documenting Thames Clipper boat service. This shot was taken from Canary Wharf Pier.

I had a thoroughly enjoyable portrait session with actress & television personality Anita Rani next at the BBE Store, a cool independent record shop under the railway arches in London Fields.

Back on Spotlight duties for the Evening Standard, I headed to Muswell Hill & one of the city’s oldest; Dunn’s on The Broadway, who were doing a roaring Saturday afternoon trade…

Next up was a fab portrait session with singer/songwriter Iraina Mancini. This couldn’t have been any closer to the wire. I caught up with her on Sunday afternoon. The following morning she was heading out on a nationwide tour. First stop; Newcastle almost 300-miles away!

This was part of a lovely little feature shoot here at Skehan’s Public House; a firm fixture of Nunhead, South London for over 200 years & recently voted ‘Best Pub in London’.

Knightsbridge was my next stop for a cover shoot at television personality Allison Cork’s stunning home for Metro newspaper.

As the Paris Olympic Games approached, I had a raft of related assignments, this one- another cover shoot with former Team GB athlete Jeanette Kwakeye, MBE.

She was one of the lead presenters for the BBC’s extensive television coverage of the worldwide event.

The bustling Columbia Road Flower Market was my next stop; a highlight of Sundays in the Eastend for over 150 years.

Another cracking portrait session next in Wandsworth with author & ‘Bake-Off’ finalist Ruby Bhogal.

One of the biggest news stories of the year was of course the General Election. This was one of my favourite shots of the campaign from a walkabout with Labour’s Beckenham & Penge candidate Liam Conlon (centre of frame wearing red rosette). Veteran MP Stella Creasey dropped in to lend a hand grabbing a quick selfie along the way.

Mr. Conlon went on to win the seat for Labour as the party swept to victory.

Broadcaster James May was my next highlight as he launched his own brand of Gin unusually infused with ‘Asian Parsnip’.

Architectural duties next documenting the massive £1Billion Olympia exhibition halls redevelopment including residential apartments & two hotels.

Next was a particularly challenging shoot with television personality Ashley James. We were due to meet on an extremely wet & windy morning in Battersea Park.

We used a fantastic covered bandstand within the park to keep us dry, alongside some smooth lighting & high-end lensing with shallow focusing, you’d never know it was even wet outside.

Back on area guide duties for the Evening Standard, this week’s highlight is from the hidden gem cafe Bluebells of Portobello tucked away in leafy Finchley, North London.

A little foreign jaunt for this week’s highlight & the epic coastline of Torrevieja, an ancient seaside town in eastern Spain dating back to the 1700’s:

As the Paris Olympics drew closer, so did the relating features. This was from a great fun shoot with British Olympic sprinter Darryl Nieta photographed in the Olympic Park, Stratford just days before she departed for the Olympiad. Her and the rest of the 4x100metres team returned with a silver medal for their efforts.

I returned to business and finance for the next highlight covering hVIVO’s Capital Markets day at their new facility within the Canary Wharf development in Docklands. This is Yamin ‘Mo’ Khan, their CEO.

The summer months can be pretty quiet on the news front. Parliament is shut & it can be pretty lean. It’s known in the industry as ‘silly season’ as we all scramble for interesting stories & features. Thankfully this summer we had a little help from the globally recognised & revered street artist BANKSY as he revealed his London Animal Series in various spots all over the capital over nine consecutive days.

This was day five’s piece above a local chippy in Walthamstow, East London.

A very raucous shoot in South London followed covering the landmark Clapham Grand’s monthly ‘Bingo Brunch’ event.

Fashion designer Amanda Wakeley, OBE was my next subject photographed at her stunning riverside apartment in Chelsea.

I spent the following Sunday trying to keep up with this lot for a cool cover feature on ‘community neighbourhoods’. This is the Retired Athletes Club, a running club that meet up regularly to exercise together. In this particular frame, they’re enjoying a hazy morning on Hampstead Heath.

I adore this fella. I’ve photographed him many times over the years and every time it’s a joy. He is British contemporary artist Finn Stone photographed at his eclectic and ever-changing home/ studio in Palmers Green, North London.

Back on commercial duties I spent a few days at Weston Homes’ immense ‘Gun Hill Park’ housing development in Aldershot, Hampshire shooting a series of interiors & case-studies.

Back in the Eastend, I had a fun & vibrant photoshoot with British Comedian, Television Personality, Author & Playwright Danny Robins at God’s Own Junkyard; home of the famous & respected Bracey family of neon artists.

Interiors was again my highlight this week shooting cover art on French couple Francois & Elise at their modern apartment within the Vabel Lawrence housing development in Tottenham.

On a glorious summer’s afternoon I found myself in Hammersmith for a little reportage set featuring the stunning 100+ year old Hammersmith Bridge.

After over a decade of assignments, this was my final ‘Where I Live’ / ‘Spotlight’ photoshoot for the Evening Standard – a publication and section I have truly adored working for. My final subject was the Turner-Prize-nominated artist Pio Abad. A genuine gentleman, I spent two hours strolling around the Woolwich riverside beside his studio chatting and shooting.

This particular spot was my personal fave as we stumbled across this interesting water feature within the Royal Arsenal housing redevelopment. Although this was the shot I was most pleased with, none of the frames from this series were ever published proving how useful & liberating this little project of mine has become.

This was a fantastic session down on the Kent coast showcasing what lengths some businesses are willing to go to in the name of sustainably. This is the Dutch sail ship De Tukker, which had just arrived from Portugal laden with almonds, olives & wine destined for the shelves of the Wanderlust warehouse.

Although this image may seem a little straightforward, the story behind it is much more interesting & it once again showcases a slice of life behind the lens. Not every shoot is an award-winning artist, but whatever the subject, we will make the very most of it. This story is about the extensive redevelopment in and around London’s King’s Cross Station; an area that has undergone immense change over the years.

These are the three key people behind the redevelopment of a large patch of land in Camley Street, just to the left of the railway tracks. This shoot was months in the planning as we firstly had to meticulously plan around their competing schedules. Once we secured the people, it was then about planning the shot. There were two distinct photographs and locations. The first was on-site amongst a delapidated industrial estate and then this second, grander shot on the roof terrace of Camden Council’s impressive offices along Goods Way. The third element was of course the elements!

On this occasion, we were very, very fortunate. Moments after the shoot wrapped, the grey clouds above showered the city for the rest of the evening…

Back in the city for this week’s highlight; a business portrait session with Sam Franks; Country Manager at Beazley Insurance.

I remained in London’s financial heart for the following week’s highlight; a series of elevated landscapes for an architectural project.

A little news story here up in the Winchmore Hill area of North London at the Little Green Dragon; a craft brewery & micropub named Greater London Pub of the Year at the industry respected CAMRA Awards.

Next up was a late evening portrait session with Aedamar Comiskey, Senior Partner & Chair at Linklaters photographed within their stunning illuminated atrium entrance.

A really interesting corporate project followed working with logistics experts Martin Brower & one of their key clients; McDonald’s restaurants as we storyboarded & documented their many nationwide recycling & reusing programs.

Back on portraiture and with the winter sun on my back, I was assigned to photograph Tara Foley, CEO of AXA UK within their spacious city offices.

My final commissioned shoot before the Christmas break was with Priya Nair, Chief Executive of the Housing Finance Corporation at their newly refurbished offices in the Cannon Street area. As you can see from our image below, it was so newly furbished that the shelves behind her are totally empty!

For the purposes of a clean portrait, though, it was absolutely perfect.

My final frame of the year is from a little project I’ve been working on across the historic St. Patrick’s Cemetary in Leytonstone, East London. I’ve been coming here for years as it’s the final resting place of my beloved grandparents.

There is some truly standout stonemasonry on display here, which I have been admiring (and documenting) over the course of the year.

As the winter sun sank and the last remnants of blue filled the air, the silhouette below grabbed my attention.

Another fantastic working year ends. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed breezing through my 2024; It has truly been my pleasure working on each and every one of these stories and projects. There have been some very memorable moments, alongside many charged & emotional ones, too.

Thank you for taking the time to peruse into my world.

Should you have an upcoming project you’d like to discuss, don’t hesitate to get in touch…

See you next year!

Daniel Lynch Photography

http://www.lynchpix.co.uk

+44 (0)7941 594 556

+44 (0)7503 736 295