16 April 2020

© Tom Oldham

Portrait photographer Tom Oldham has won the Open Portrait Category of the Sony World Photography Awards for the second time with his portrait of Frank Black from The Pixies.  Read on to find out how the image came about as well as Tom's approach to shooting portraits.

© Tom Oldham

Firstly Tom Congratulations we love this image! Can you tell us how it came about? 

Thanks very much! I proudly shoot for MOJO Magazine where the photo team get access to some of the greatest names in music. I was asked to shoot Charles, aka Frank Black, the singer from The Pixies in what turned out to be an especially small space in a hotel in Kensington. We’re used to making the most of it and had brought a black background and cloth with us, so we could neutralise the surroundings to bring all the focus onto the subject. I asked him to express his exasperation at being photographed all the time and that seemed to give the image the motivation it needed.

How does it feel to be second time winner in the Sony World Photography Awards?

Quite surreal I have to say. It gets 350K+ entries and winning the Professional Series Portrait two years was an absolutely brilliant experience. The WPO really cares about and respects photographers and their work, so I was keen to enter again (especially as it’s free to take part). I didn’t at all imagine it could happen again though, especially in the Open category where only one image is judged and the standard seemed unachievable to me. Anyway, I put in ten of my best image and they chose this one, which I’m delighted about because I love it.

Can you reveal your tricks to capturing someone’s portrait?

There are no tricks. Just getting on top of the technical so your ideas can really flow. Create a harmonious environment and put yourself in their shoes as empathy goes a long way toward closing the awkward gap between subject and snapper.

What does being a member of the AOP mean to you?

Being a member of the AOP has helped me a great deal. I feel connected to my peers and know I can reach out for all kinds of support in a much simpler and direct way, which has real value. I had an unpleasant interaction with a record label and Nick Dunmur stepped in to clearly state my case. A payout was made in my favour but it was the weight of the AOP support that tipped the scale, without doubt.

See more stunning portraits shot by Tom here