I recently had the pleasure of photographing author and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt for The Guardian’s Saturday Magazine, published on 7th June 2025. The shoot took place at the stunning Corinthia Hotel in central London — an elegant, light-filled setting that made a perfect backdrop for our 30-minute portrait session.

The article, written to coincide with the release of Haidt’s latest book The Anxious Generation, explores the sharp rise in anxiety and mental health challenges among teenagers. Haidt makes a compelling case that a combination of smartphone overuse and increasingly overprotective parenting is at the heart of this crisis. It’s a timely and thought-provoking read — you can check it out here.

I always enjoy the challenge of capturing portraits under time pressure, and this was no exception — Jonathan was warm and generous with his time, and I’m really pleased with the images we made together.

A big thank you to the brilliant Ayesha Kazim for assisting on this shoot.

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Published: 7 June 2025

Commissioned by: The Guardian Saturday Magazine

Location: Corinthia Hotel, London

Assisted by: Ayesha Kazim