Musician Jools Holland is a household name in the United Kingdom. Having been keyboardist in the band Squeeze, over the years he’s worked with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and Sting, to name a few. He is a rock star of a certain era, and since 1992 has hosted a show on BBC Two called “Later… with Jools Holland.” U.K.-based lifestyle and portrait photographer Michael Leckie took the promo images for “Jools’ Annual Hootenanny,” an end of the year, special edition of the show, broadcast on New Year’s Eve.
I’m very lucky to have been the photographer for both ‘Later… with Jools Holland’ and ‘Jools Annual Hootenanny’ for the past 3 years, working with the same team and production crew.
The “Annual Hootenanny” is a musical variety show, with Jools and his rhythm and blues orchestra playing host to a collection of famous singers, which this year included such stars as Ed Sheeran and Lulu.
When asked how it was possible that the guest stars look exactly the same in the promo images as they do for the show, Michael let the cat out of the bag.
I don’t want to ruin the image of it being a live New Years’ Eve show, but we shot it 14 days prior.
The photos were taken at Riverside Studios in London, in a room adjacent to the TV studio. Michael had a creative meeting with the production team in advance with regards to color for the backdrop and styling for the group shot, otherwise, he was given full control over lighting and direction. Once each artist was ready in hair and makeup, they came into Michael’s studio to have their portrait taken. Michael had just a few minutes with each performer before they started recording the show.
I basically had two to five mins with each act, with some right at the last minute just before we started recording the show.
Being an old hand at this point, Michael knew how to prepare for the last-minute shoot. He arrived several hours earlier to ensure everything was set up and looking solid.
I also checked with the TV pluggers in terms of timing for each artist. The times are arranged by production prior to recording day, so it’s good to double-check because it always changes. You have to adapt and be flexible.
Right before recording, when Michael was about to start firing away on these portraits, there was a unique atmosphere in terms of the energy on set. Michael was the final stop before the show, so the photoshoot ended up being an important transition from the pre-show calm to the energy needed to perform on stage.
It’s quite interesting really. There’s a bit of a lull prior to the show. Everyone has rehearsed and is having dinner and getting ready, whereas I’m on a high about to kickstart my evening and capture amazing images of amazingly talented people.
I think my energy was picked up on, and after a little chat and explanation the ball started rolling. The shoot was fast, direct – and fun. All the talent have done this a million times before; they know exactly what they’re doing.
Michael didn’t plan ahead in terms of what kinds of shots he wanted for each artist, besides having a general idea based on his lighting setup. Instead, as with any good portrait photographer, he read each subject, getting a feel for them, while still minding the time slot.
What is quite nice is that there is a little crossover sometimes when one artist is leaving as another arrives, and that feels like the excitement is rising because everyone is starting to take their places.
The individual portraits had to be composited together in post-production, so Michael was mindful to get a mix of poses. Having some stars in a simple standing position while others have their arms flung out creates the illusion of depth, which brings the group image together in a more natural way.
The “Hootenanny” itself feels like a party. It’s lively and upbeat with the big band on stage and twinkling holiday lights everywhere. But just next door in the portrait studio with Michael, it’s a bit quieter.
In my studio setup area, it’s simply me, my assistant, the artist, and their team if they have any, so this can be really nice.
Even though he only had a few minutes with each singer, Michael loved these intimate interactions in which the artists fed off his own energy. He was essentially providing a comfortable space for each musician to prepare before their performance.
It was crucial to be aware of all the moving parts of this assignment – the subjects’ needs, the client’s needs, light, adherence to time, as well as understanding the bigger picture of the event. Michael’s ability to be conscious of this while remaining in the present moment for the portrait is why the client asks him back year after year.
Credits
Photographer: Michael Leckie
Photography Production: Loftus Media
Show Production: BBC
Presenter: Jools Holland
Director: Janet Fraser Crook
Producer: Samanta Wynn
Executive Producer: Alison Howe