Phil Fisk - Belle Chen

PHIL FISK recently shot these gorgeous portraits of pianist, composer and rising star BELLE CHEN, whose work, "pinballs between avant-garde, classical, electronica, sound art and various sonic practices." 

Her music is often performed on "prepared piano (temporarily altered prior to performance by placing bolts, screws, mutes, rubber erasers, and/or other objects on or between the strings), as well as melodica, synthesizers and found sound.”

The team drew reference to Bjork’s enigmatic style, bringing a less clichéd classical aesthetic to Belle’s portraits - with styling by Vic Twyman and makeup by Rebecca Hampson 🙌✨

 

Phil Fisk - The Grove / London Short Film Festival

We are delighted to announce that Phil Fisk's documentary film "The Grove", made the Official Selection, and will be showing at the London Short Film Festival on 26th January at Curzon Soho.

Short largely during the first couple of years of the Covid pandemic, Phil's film focusses on "an abandoned pub carpark on the A205 in South London, [where] local kids are creating ramps and an assortment of skate park structures, splicing old gas canisters, wooden planks, pallets, bags of cement, rubble, drinks cans, abandoned sofas - anything and everything, to create their own home-grown skatepark - and likewise establish a safe place for themselves, away from the traffic, the pandemic and authority."

More info here and here - and you can read about the full lineup of events here.

And of course you can watch “The Grove” on our website here. It’s a beautiful, contemplative film - and well worth a watch! 🙌

 

Phil Fisk - Mike Skinner

Phil shoots Mike Skinner… the subject of a short film (/rockumentary) he’s been working on since 2019, with the first teasers being released in the new year ⚡️.

Phil describes Mike as a “professional disruptor. Dictator, denier and destructor. The king of trash, prince of darkness, the founder of the Cannibals. The loser of his mind. One of a kind. Master of his own downfall and slave to the rhythm of rock n roll. [and also] My neighbour. 👍”

The film promises to be a captivating journey into Mike’s life. We can’t wait to watch!

 

Phil Fisk - Anna Tobias / Observer

Chef Anna Tobias, beautifully captured for Observer by Phil Fisk, bathed in summer light at her restaurant Cafe Deco in Bloomsbury. She is part of the rich River Cafe alumni (including Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall), who have taken some of its ethos into their own new establishments 🌱

 

Phil Fisk - Ferrero Rocher

Phil created these wonderful portraits for an advertorial for FERRERO ROCHER in the Sunday Times featuring taste scientist and broadcaster Barry Smith (shot at his lab in the University of London), and some of the top chocolatiers at the Ferrero chocolate factory in Derby.

Huge thanks to Bridge Studios, stylist Vic Twyman and all the team who helped create these lovely images 🍫✨

 

Phil Fisk - Dry Cleaning / Observer

Observer commission Phil Fisk to photograph these beautiful portraits of poetic post-punk band DRY CLEANING, the group "everyone seemed to discover in lockdown".

Their first album was released to rave reviews, swiftly becoming Rough Trade's Album of the Year. This shoot marks the release of their second album Stumpwork on 4AD.

Phil loved meeting and shooting the band and was delighted to learn about #metalhand... (Florence demonstrates in picture 1!)

 

Phil Fisk - Virgin Atlantic / Pearlies

Phil Fisk recently shot this lovely commission from Ink Global, featuring the Pearly Kings and Queens of London, for Virgin Atlantic magazine Vera.

We love these iconic portraits of Amy, Connor, Jack and Shannon, the Pearly Kings and Queens of Haggerston, Wembley, Royal Kensington and Shoreditch - who are some of the new generation of “pearly royalty” bringing a more inclusive attitude to a centuries old tradition (whilst maintaining a lifelong dedication to fundraising for charity). 🙌

 

Phil Fisk - SKY / This England / Kenneth Branagh

We are delighted to share Phil Fisk’s compelling photographic commission for Michael Winterbottom’s six-part drama This England.

The series was recently released on SKY Atlantic, and follows the then prime minister Boris Johnson (played by the amazing Kenneth Branagh) and his government through the first wave of the pandemic.

Huge thanks to SKY, Revolution Films, Chris Roome for the retouching skills and everyone involved in creating these poignant images.

 

Phil Fisk - Ramaswami

Part 2 of Phil’s stunning ALLOTMENT series featuring eccentrics found among the vegetable patches… 🌽🥦🥕 📻 🥬🥒🌶

“Ramaswami Krishnan acquired his allotment to save his marriage. Their house was overflowing with electronic equipment that he had saved from the street and car boot sales since the 1980’s. He retired as a physics teacher twenty years ago and started repairing and taking apart early computers. But the small Victorian terrace soon filled up and he was forced to find a shed of some kind, as long as it was “away from the house”…! By chance a family friend offered a share in his allotment and now old technology and horticulture exist side by side. Kris, as he likes to be called, is yet to fully embrace the digging and planting but he is happy in his new home and there is “finally, peace at home.”

Thanks for the wonderful casting Sue Odell, props by the amazing Vic Twyman and awesome job by all the team 👏

 

Phil Fisk - Elena

We’re delighted to share a stunningly beautiful new personal project by Phil Fisk…

“Elena comes to her allotment every day in all weathers. She took over the plot when her son left home and found she had all this time to herself once more. She remembered growing up in Lithuania in the early 1950s and working on the family smallholding. They had pigs and ducks and her father made his own “Namine”, a homemade form of Poitín or moonshine, which was his escape from the hardships and life without a wife and mother. Elena would escape to the woods full of moss and berries that she would collect and dry. She would store these along with feathers, egg shells, seeds and twigs in a jewellery box her mother left. As she grew older, she would create intricate brooches and headdresses and wander the dark forest as someone else, somewhere else. In the quiet, she would dream of leaving and moving west.”

Huge thanks to all the team, not least of all Vic Twyman for the superb prop styling and wardrobe, the incredible Sue Odell for the awesome casting, and of course to model Alex Bruni who brings more than a little magic to these images ✨

Phil Fisk - Joseph Quinn / Stranger Things / Observer

Last week, Phil Fisk had the pleasure of shooting JOSEPH QUINN for OBSERVER.

The British actor is playing “the voluminously haired metalhead (EDDIE MUNSON) who runs the HELLFIRE SOCIETY” in season 4 of NETFLIX’s hit show STRANGER THINGS, “which set Netflix records by reaching no 1 in 83 countries and is more watched than Bridgerton!”

Such a beautiful set of portraits! It’s amazing what you can do, “with an old light box found stashed in a cupboard at the studio!”… 📸 ✨

 

Phil Fisk - Catfish / MTV

Here's a peek at Phil's wonderful new creative for MTV for the new series of CATFISH featuring “catfish hunters” Nella Rose 🌹 and Oobah Butler on their quest to investigate the world of online dating deception… 🔍 ✨All post production managed by Flock.

 

Phil Fisk - DDB Remedy

Last year in June, Phil was commissioned by DDB Remedy to shoot a stills and moving image campaign for the worldwide release of a new facial aesthetics product.

Over three days, with eight models and two huge mirrors, we created a positive, modern visual language for the product launch.

We worked with Perma Collective again to ensure we had a sustainable approach to the shoot production, including virtual casting, digitised styling, virtual streaming of the shoot and the repurposing of props at the end of the shoot. Flock managed all post-production.

 

Phil Fisk - Paula Rego

In 2018, Phil Fisk photographed the internationally-celebrated artist Dame Paula Rego, who sadly passed away this week aged 87.

Phil remembered the shoot, commissioned by the Observer, as a very special day. He had the freedom to explore her studio and he recalls that she was willing to take his direction for the portraits…

“I asked her to close her eyes and she just commented that it would give her the opportunity to dream for minute to two. She was very frail and I think tired, but determined to smile and make us welcome.”

Please read her full obituary here.

 

Phil Fisk - Robert Eggers / Observer

Robert Eggers, the American film-maker behind arthouse hits The Witch and The Lighthouse and blood-soaked Viking Blockbuster The Northman, photographed by Phil Fisk for Observer.

 

Phil Fisk - Wes Streeting / Observer

Phil Fisk photographs Wes Streeting in Ilford for Observer.

The shadow minster for health and social care is a rising star, touted as a future leader of the Labour Party. Article here.

 

Phil Fisk - Abi Morgan / Observer

"Absolutely the same, but profoundly changed".

PHIL FISK photographs screenwriter ABI MORGAN for OBSERVER.

The acclaimed creator of THE SPLIT, SUFRAGETTE and THE IRON LADY has endured three gruelling years of loss and illness - a traumatic tale she shares in her new book THIS IS NOT A PITY MEMOIRE - and here.

 

Phil Fisk - Dylan Llewellyn / Observer

DYLAN LLEWELLYN, (self-titled) 'wee English fella', and star of award-winning comedy DERRY GIRLS, photographed by PHIL FISK for the OBSERVER.

 

Phil Fisk - Renate Reinsve / Observer

Stunning portraits of Norwegian actress RENATE REINSVE captured by PHIL FISK for OBSERVER. The actress currently 'stealing Hollywood's heart', recently starred in the critically acclaimed THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, with her performance earning her the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.