Recent Travels – January 2012 | January 10, 2012

December marked the end of an incredible year for Philip, finishing on a high and completing the first phase of a large scale, international advertising job. A series of very different briefs took him from the UK, to the Italian coast, and on to a tour of the USA. This included photographing in a variety of locations, from Miami, canyons in Utah to New York City.Now in the new year, after a Christmas at home Philip is in London preparing for his next commissions, taking him to the Far East and back to the Arctic.

Recent Travels – December 2011 | December 1, 2011

Shortly after returning from Paris, Philips next assignment was another to Kenya following a very traditional route of safari starting in Mombasa. From there it was an overnight train journey to Nairobi on the famous “Lunatic Line”; a great adventure. From here Philip travelled to Maasai Mara, Chyulu Hills and Amboseli National Parks to photograph the great African wildlife; lions, elephants, leopards and giraffes galore.A week after returning from Kenya at the end of October, Philip was back on the road again and heading for Burma (Myanmar). A relatively undiscovered gem of South East Asia, for years it has been labelled as a no go area due to a military dictatorship rule. Now with changing times, and a changed government, visitors are being invited to witness the historic and religious beauty of the country. With areas like Bagan with over 2000 temples, villages built on stilts in a lake, and the long necked women of the Padaung tribe, the country offers a unique sense of adventure you no longer get in neighbouring countries.
Stupas in the ancient city of Bagan

Recent Travels – October 2011 | October 7, 2011

Philip has just returned from two commissions in two of Europes most stunning capital cities.Firstly travelling to Lisbon, Portugal for Four Seasons Magazine, the focus was on the beautiful azulejos. These are traditional hand-painted ceramic tiles, famous throughout Portuguese history; particularly the blue and white decorative scenes. It was a chance to revisit the city, and to document the extensive use of these ceramics historical importance, right through to the present. Photographing in museums and art galleries, preservation departments and local artists gave a broad view of how azulejos are used in Portuguese culture.

After a quick turn around at home in London, Philip made the short trip to Paris; the City of Light. Continuing his partnership with BBC Lonely Planet Magazine, this assignment was to give insight into a “lesser known” Paris. Featuring some of the best in local artwork, gypsy jazz musicians (in the vein of the great Django Reinhardt), urban gardens, home cuisine and absinthe bars ! This gave an interesting spin to the otherwise beautiful, but well trodden path, of the Parisian landmarks.
  Iconic yellow tram in Lisbon

Recent Travels – August 2011 | August 26, 2011

Between commissions over the past couple of months Philip has taken time out to complete some new personal shoots. This took him to the Gers region in the south of France for a week, where he and a small crew completed some new “luxury lifestyle” work. Some beautiful small town locations, such as Blaziert, friendly local people and the southern French sun really helped surpass Philips expectations. Check out the Lifestyle section of the website to see the new work!

Shortly after returning from France, Philip went to Wales in the UK to Snowdonia National Park. The summit of Mount Snowdon really does offer some sensational views. The weather was ideal to capture some dramatic outdoor shots, adding to the new body of work he has been working on.

Currently in London, Philip is preparing for a busy time over the coming months with back to back assignments. His work will be taking him across a huge variety of landscapes, from European cities to east Africa and beyond to south east Asia.


A shot from Philips luxury lifestyle shoot in Blaziert, France.


The top of Mount Snowdon in Wales, UK

Recent Travels | May 6, 2011

For the past two months Philip has again been flat out, working on 3 different continents. First, he completed another advertising commission for Intercontinental Hotels, working with Leagas Delaney London; this time photographing in Berchtesgaden, in the German Bavarian Alps.Soon after, Philip travelled to Kerala, south-west India, continuing his collaboration with BBC Lonely Planet. Having worked in this area a number of times before Philip looked at different aspects of local life, with locations ranging from the beautiful beaches to the hillside tea plantations and on to photograph wildlife in the national parks. One highlight was having chance to see a Great Bengal Tiger, albeit a shy one.After returning home for less than a week Philip was on the road again, on location in Cameroon, Central Africa. A remarkable country of diverse people, diverse landscapes and diverse climates; from the dense humidity of the south to the scorching dry heat of 55°C (44°C in shade) in the north. Photographing traditional masked dancers, wildlife on safari, and the Mandara Mountains made it all worthwhile, including a visit to Rhumsiki, with its incredible natural rock formations, and local communities living within this most other worldly landscape.
Philip photographing the Mandara Mountains at Rhumsiki
   
The beginning of 2011 has been a busy one for Philip. The first job of the new year saw him in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago far north and into the Arctic Circle. Focusing on the island of Spitsbergen, Philip had to travel large distances across the beautiful, white, frozen landscapes via snowmobile to capture his images. A stay aboard the Noorderlicht, a ship frozen into the fjords, offered chance to explore this wild environment and the Von Post glacier. With temperatures ranging between -30°C to +5°C and whiteout blizzards, it certainly was a challenging assignment.Soon after Philip was back in London and shooting an advertisement for the newly refurbished, luxury Four Seasons hotel at Park Lane; one of the most exclusive locations in London. Working with ISM Boston, Philip shot all through the night to complete this commission.


Mountain peaks at dusk in Spitsbergen

   
In November Philip completed commissions in North Africa and South America.First travelling to Tunisia, Philip discovered a luxury world of the ancient Romans. From bathhouse ruins at Carthage and the amazing intact amphitheater at El Djem, to the small fishing town of Bizerte and the modern bustling Tunis. Tunisia certainly shows the contrast of an ancient world surrounded by modern living.Not long afterward Philip travelled to the incredible landscapes of Venezuela, continuing his collaboration with novelist Giles Foden. An epic adventure through tropical jungle, rivers and tepuis(huge flat topped mountains), Philip was immersed in a lost world. Working from small planes, dugout canoes and helicopters certainly afforded unrivaled views of some of the worlds most dominating scenery.Now back in London, Philip has given a Photography ‘Master Class’ lecture at the BBC, is editing newly captured video footage, and is preparing for a job in the middle east in the new year.


A tepui near the huge Mount Roraima

   
Intercontinental Hotel Group and Leagas Delaney London NEW! Global advertising campaign showcasing the new Intercontinental Hotel Times Square off Broadway in New York City.

   
September saw Philip working flat out, with commissions across three different continents.Firstly travelling to New York on an advertising assignment for InterContinental Hotel Group. Here he was working to promote their brand new flagship Times Square hotel, off broadway.Leaving the hectic bustle of the city, Philips next job took him to the peaceful landscapes of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Visiting rural villages, searching for wild African Elephants hidden in the reeds by Mokoro (dugout canoes), and riding on an elephant back safari kept him busy.Onwards from Botswana Philip was back in Italy, this time capturing the timeless beauty of Tuscany for the BBC. Always a favorite destination at this time of year, rolling landscapes dotted with medieval hilltop towns standing above the morning mist.Now back in the UK for a short time, Philip is busy planning for jobs in North Africa and South America.


Elephant Backed Safari in the Okavango Delta

   
Stock Archive now available ! Philip has been busy editing, scanning, processing and collating the best images from his collection. After many months of hard work in between assignments he is happy to launch an exclusive archive of imagery ready for licensing, available for high resolution download now. With 3,500+ images from over 40 countries already online, this collection is growing weekly with new work and new destinations. Follow the link at the bottom of the page or click here.Recently Philip has worked both in North Africa and in Europe. Firstly in Morocco, he travelled all over the country exploring the souqs and medinas of Fez and Marrakech, the beautiful mountains in the Imlil Valley and into the desert oasis of Skoura.Afterwards a short hop from London into the south of France, near Montpellier. Photographing a well known chef, this time Philip was focused more on very natural eating, fresh, organic produce in a peaceful Languedoc countryside.Up next, Philip is looking forward to jobs in the USA, southern Africa and Mediterranean Italy.


A food stall on the Djeema el Fna, Marrakech

   
May and June saw Philip working on back to back commissions in Europe and the Middle East. In Italy, the small hilltop town of Solomeo and the Umbrian countryside provided a stunning scenic background to the work of fashion designer Brunello Cucinelli.Immediately afterwards Philip headed to Damascus, Syria, one of the oldest cities in the world. Covering the ornate beauty of the Great Umayyad Mosque, the bustling market stalls of the large Souk al Hamidieyeh with its array of sights and smells, to local artists and the famous Caravanseri.From Syria Philip headed to Beirut, Lebanon. Working in the downtown area gave insight into a war torn city in major development of luxury industries, everything from fashion to hotels and 5 star beach resorts. Moving north Philip arrived in Byblos, a medieval town built on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. A beautiful harbour, crusaders fort and cobbled streets of the souk make for a stark contrast to hectic everyday life of the city.Since, Philip has continued working with Dumpling Productions providing video content, filming off-road vehicles on a test track in Austria for a forthcoming car launch.


Sunrise near Solomeo, Umbria, Italy

   
April 20th 2010 saw the launch of Philip’s solo exhibition, ‘Travelling Light’, at the Association of Photographers Gallery in London, UK. Showcasing 40 of Philips stunning images from all corners of the world, and demonstrating his unique understanding of daylight, the exhibition was a great success.


Travelling Light exhibition and Private View

   
In February Philip headed north into Arctic Norway discovering a fast-growing, activities based destination. Working in temperatures as cold as -38ºC he covered husky sledding, snowmobiling, a King Crab safari and had chance to visit a working Sami reindeer herder. Philip  also realised a life ambition, managing to witness the illusive northern lights.Philip is now back in London busy preparing for a major exhibition of his work at the Association of Photographers Gallery in April. See Exhibitions for the official press release and check back soon for more details !


Philip at work photographing huskies.

   
The beginning of 2010 was as  busy as ever, with Philip journeying to Mali in West Africa. Whilst there he met sand diggers diving to the bottom of the Niger River, a master maison who still builds traditional houses with mud, and visited the Grand Mosque in Djenne; the largest mud built structure in the world.


Monday morning market at Djenne, Mali.

   
Philip finished 2009 with a trip to Cambodia, photographing the monumental Angkor complex and surrounding countryside. His journey included a trip to the floating village of Kompong Phluk, where everything is built on stilts in the massive Tonle Sap lake.


Temple of Ta Prohm, Angkor Complex, Cambodia.

   
Philip has been working flat out over the past few months, in some familiar and not so familiar environments.At the end of March Philip stayed closer to home, photographing city life and various landmarks around Rome, giving a fresh look to one of the worlds most historic places.


St Peters Basillica and the River Tiger, Rome, Italy

   
April saw Philip on the small island of Socotra, 220 miles from the coast of Yemen. Socotra’s isolation allows it to host some of the worlds most unique plant life, enabling Philip to photograph the impressive Dragon Blood Tree.


Local man in the Dragon Blood Forest, Socotra, Yemen.

   
In June Philip was back in the French Alps, this time in summer, as part of a 2,000 mile round trip of the country. Photographing 8 destinations over 12 days, the schedule left no room for error, but gave opportunity to explore new locations, and rediscover familiar places.July found Philip trekking in the rainforests of Malaysian Borneo, battling the 90% tropical humidity, and in search of some elusive Orangutans.In August Philip travelled to Madagascar, photographing some of the most incredible wildlife from the amusing Dancing Sifaka and Ring Tailed Lemurs, to the dominating skyline of Baobab trees.


Dancing Lemur (Sifaka) in Berenty National Reserve, Madagascar.

March 2009 | March 1, 2009

March saw Philip travelling to extremes. From the dry heat of the South Australian outback, covering over 1,500 miles by road, sea and air, to the top of a glacier in the French alps.

Philip is curretly back in London working on new portfolios, but getting ready to travel to the Middle East at the end of April.


Nilpena Station, Flinders Rangers, South Australia


La Plagne, French Alps

February 2009 | February 1, 2009

At the start of the new year Philip travelled to Hawaii, continuing his ongoing collaboration with Lonely Planet magazine, focussing on the less commercialized island of Kauai.

The next 4 weeks alone see Philip in Australia, Lapland, the French Alps and Rome.

Philip has recently won 6 Honourable Mentions from the Px3 2009 ‘Water’ based competition and an additional entry has been selected for the 2009 Prix de la Photographie Paris exhibition in New York this May.

Philip was also the only UK winner of the TPOTY Best Single Image in a Portfolio – Life competition and was awarded Silver by the LPA.

Please scroll down for interviews about some of Philip’s recent travels.


Okkaido, Japan in December 2008


Kauai, Hawaii in January 2009

In the footsteps of George Rodger | March 1, 2008

Philip recently returned to Africa to retrace the footsteps of legendary Magnum photographer George Rodger’s journey 60 years ago. Philip first went to the Maasai Mara to photograph the Maasai, then onto the mountains of Uganda to spend time with the truly amazing Batwa pygmies, culminating in the once in a lifetime experience of photographing Nuba wrestling in the central mountains of the Sudan.

Q & A

Q: Did you and the crew encounter any difficulties crossing these countries, in particular Kenya and the Sudan given the civil unrest at the time?

A: Yes, especially in the Sudan where travel is heavily restricted especially amongst the Nuba mountains. There were many conflicting opinions on what we could and couldn’t do and where we could and couldn’t go. But in the end even with all the bureaucracy we managed to make it, although there were many times when we thought we may have to turn around and come back.

Q: How closely did you follow George Rodger’s journey and had much changed from his time?

A: We tried to end up at the same destinations as George Rodger although due to closed borders and restrictions we were unable to drive exactly the same way. For example we entered the Kordofan range from the North East whereas George had driven from the South. On the surface there were probably many changes as there would be anywhere in the world over 6 decades, perhaps less so in the Sudan, although civil war has certainly changed the make up of this land and its people.

The landscape of the Nuba mountains is extremely close to how it would have been in George Rodger’s day to the point that one night we camped under the same boabab trees as he had done 60 years previously.

Q: Had time affected the lifestyles of the people you met very much?

A: Each of the three tribes had changed in its own unique way.

The Maasai have embraced tourism, and seem to have kept a lot of their traditional ways and beliefs yet have also embraced modern technology such as mobile phones and western medicine.

The Batwa 60 years ago were still forest dwelling and were completely nomadic but they left the forest almost 30 years ago due to deforestation and government pressure to comply. Their life is probably the saddest and most desperate of the three tribes we met. They rely totally on the kindness of others to simply exist. The Nuba are to a degree cut off from the outside world but have unfortunately suffered hardship due to the civil war and religious extremism.

Q: You were privileged enough to have witnessed Nuba wrestling. What were your impressions of this ancient sport?

A: Wrestling is still an integral part of the Nuba’s life, as it was in George Rodger’s day, although now one feels it is more for entertainment rather than village rivalry. Also most of the men of the village at wrestling age had either been conscripted into the civil war or had left the Sudan altogether in search of better wages.

Q: How do you feel having completed such an incredible and challenging journey?

A: It has been amazing, not just photographically but being privileged enough to spend time with Jinx Rodger, George’s wife, and to hear her tales of her time and adventures with George. My appreciation of what he achieved has been heightened by the trip and although he was perhaps the quietest founding member of Magnum his work has certainly stood the test of time.

The full article is now available to read within recent commissions on this site or in OneLife, Landrover’s customer magazine.


Rwanda | September 1, 2007

Please read on for a Q & A session with Philip about his September trip to Africa photographing mountain gorillas in Rwanda, as part of a travel story for Conde Nast Tatler magazine.

Q & A

Q: What were your overall impressions of Rwanda and how does it compare to other African countries you’ve spent time in?

A: It’s an amazing survival story. On the surface it’s surprisingly healed from the atrocities it’s been through. And you really wish them luck as a nation. As a land, it’s beautifully fertile and lush. The thing about Africa is that every country is so unique and different. Rwanda is amazingly diverse in its landscapes.

Q: What was the mood of the country given the horrific genocide that took place almost 14 years ago?

A: Resilient and hopeful.

Q: How difficult was it to find the gorillas considering the high altitudes and dense jungle they inhabit?

A: We hired local trackers who know the gorillas’ habitat very well. They would go out pre-dawn ahead of us, and once they’d found the group we were to photograph, they would follow them and radio their location to our guides. It took approximately 4 hours of trekking through jungle to reach them as they kept moving. Existing trails ran out very soon and our guides macheted their way through. We had an armed military escort with us, primarily there to ward off poachers.

Q: How close were you able to get to the gorillas when photographing them and did they appear comfortable with that?

A: Incredibly close. We were asked not to come closer than 5 metres to them, but, being their habitat, if the gorillas decided to move around us we just sat still. The young babies are obviously inquisitive and had no qualms about brushing right past us. The particular group we photographed, Group 13, which had been habituated for a long time, were quite nonplussed with our presence to the point of not being interested.

Q: Who do you feel a trip to Rwanda would appeal to?

A: Anyone interested in wildlife, especially primates. Other aspects of tourism are slowly developing. There are some beautiful lodges to stay in and it’s a quiet, timeless destination where you are unlikely to come across any form of mass tourism, thus being a refreshing change from some of its neighbouring countries.

Q: So, where to next?

A: Interestingly enough, maybe Uganda next door! To photograph Batwa pygmies.

We will keep you posted!

The full article on Rwanda can be seen with Philip’s pictures in January’s issue of the UK edition of Tatler magazine.