Portrait Photography Project: Jean Pierre - Bankrobber

Portrait photography is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the real person if the portrait photographer can build a rapprt with his subject.

This sliedshow is of a persoan friend Jean Pierre. I was lucky enough to persuade him into sitting for me one day in the studio.

He has had an incredible and was writing his life story at the time. Someone was keen to turn it into a movie. He spends many hours going into prisons & hospitals to help people get sober & substance free if they are willing. Due to his illness of addiction he spent many years behind bars for armed robbery. He is now sober & substance free and has been for some years now.

In this studio portrait photography project I was fortunate to capture him both enjoying his present life and also talking about his troubled and abusive childhood.

I chose the music to accompany this studio portrait photography project as it fits perfectly with the man & the project. However I do not support or condone his former criminal activities. Joe Strummer from The Clash apparently upset his own straight father by penning this song.

My own father was as far from this activity as you could imagine too but that didn’t prevent me from spending time behind bars in a far off land to which I can never return.

Like JP I am now sober & substance free and we are both enjoying the best years of our lives that way.

These studio portraits were shot at The Camera Club in Kennington, London

Thanks for watching and bigger thanks to JP for sitting for me.