Hello there! I have 4 names, one is Scottish, one Spanish, and one Italian.
The other
name is Dan.
I made this site to celebrate and promote my photography work, so as well as taking all the photos I also designed, built and wrote everything. If you love it, great! But if there's anything broken on it that's on me so please let me know!
TLDR: I've taken hundreds of thousands of pics, starting with friends on nights out, then club photography, assorted queer events, drag, performance and cabaret. Now I take that spirit of joy and vulnerability into my own brand of silly colourful portraiture.
For more detail, read on!
Club photography
2008-2014
For years I'd loved snapping pics of friends on nights out; before everyone had a phone camera I was self-designated documentor
After moving to east London I followed the cliche and started club photography for a few of my favourite haunts like Pie & Mash, Shake Yer Dix, Sink the Pink, Douchebag, Songs of Praise, and Push the Button.
I just loved capturing moments of unguarded joy and showing people the fun they'd forgotten.
Fly on the wall
2014-2018
As I made more friends in the queer club scene, so many of them were amazing performers that I felt pretty out of place. To feel like I was contributing something I photographed drag shows and performers, spending most evenings editing photos to feel less like a tourist.
I loved it though, capturing backstage chaos, pre-show setups, and after-show parties. As an anxious nerd who struggles to talk himself into places he's supposed to be in, it felt like a huge privilege to be in these spaces taking behind-the-scenes candids.
I was in-house photographer for The ShayShay Show, did bits for Knickerbocker, Sunday Funday and Cybil's House, and shot Harry Clayton-Wright across many of their projects. Through Harry I even got to shoot a few cabaret acts at the Edinburgh Fringe, and especially the wild ride that was photographing the Miss Behave Gameshow .
Light by me
2017-2021
While still deep in nightlife I was inspired to recreate that queer basement vibe in a makeshift home studio, with colour, vulnerability and joy. Most "male" portraiture at the time was so blandly "masc" that it didn't speak to me at all, so I wanted to add my own take.
I experimented with myself first, taking photos that I never expected to see the light of day. It seemed to work though, and I invited friends to model for me, throwing light around for fun.
I worked with drag artists and other performers a lot too as they were amazing creative collaborators and often needed imagery for promotions. I even had an exhibition of London drag at Dalston Superstore in 2018 which was crazy.
Nowish
2021-now
As an artist I'm interested in exploring expressions of queerness, gender & sexuality through my surreal technicolour lens. I don't have time to shoot nearly as much as I'd like, but I'm still driven to push my practice forward and love making creative connections. In learning more about others I learn more about the world, and myself, and it's always a thrill to show people a new side of themselves!
When I did event photography I always aimed to shoot situations rather than things. Now my focus is portraiture, I prefer to aim for authentic vibes and feelings rather than just bodies.
So how do you want to feel?