Chris

I sat down with Melbourne acoustic guitarist Chris Annable at Studio MG for a portrait session in the black and white style I have been developing, one that owes a lot to Richard Avedon and Platon. If you know their work, you know what I am chasing: stripped back, honest, nothing to hide behind. Just the person, the light, and whatever they bring into the frame.

Chris and I go back a long way. I have shot all of his promo images for around 15 years now, so this was not a first meeting or a first roll of the dice. There is something valuable in that kind of history. You stop worrying about breaking the ice and just get straight to the work.

Chris brings plenty. His catchline is “Master of acoustic groove,” and honestly, it fits. There is a warmth and a looseness to the way he plays that you want to carry through into a photo, something that feels alive rather than posed.

Funny thing about the Studio MG. MG stands for Messy Garage. That makes you picture exactly what it says, but you would never know it from these photos. Once the lights were set and the backdrop was up, it turned into exactly the kind of clean, focused space this style needs.

This session was part of my ongoing push to build out a proper body of work in this Avedon and Platon-inspired style, the kind of black and white portraiture that this website is going to be built around. Musicians are a natural fit for it.

There is so much character in a face that has spent years on stage, and stripping away the colour just lets that come through even more.

It was a genuinely fun shoot. Chris was easy to work with, easy to talk to, and up for trying different looks without overthinking it. That is really all you can ask for.

Richard Mayle is a portrait photographer and musician based in the Bayside region of Melbourne. He has long loved the high contrast black and white look of the former masters, such as Avedon, and is bringing this style to his own portrait work.

He photographs musicians, photographers, members of the roller derby community and is very interested in hearing if you have another concept in mind.

If you like what you see here, visit the Contact page to organise your own session.