Last month, I had the pleasure of photographing the newly opened Noisy Oyster in Shoreditch for Broadsheet London. It was one of those dream editorial gigs, visually striking interiors, beautifully plated food, and a strong sense of place, all in the heart of East London.

Stepping into Noisy Oyster felt like walking onto a set designed by a minimalist futurist. The interiors, led by Crosby Studios’ Harry Nuriev, are an exercise in precision: stainless steel counters, reflective surfaces, and a monochromatic palette that plays with texture and light. It gave me a lot to work with, but also required a careful approach, balancing reflections, highlights, and clean compositions while capturing the mood and movement of the space.

One highlight was photographing the maritozzo with ricotta and caviar, a dish that looks like a pastry but tastes like a sea-kissed canapé.

I delivered a mix of architectural shots, food close-ups, and candid moments that brought the space to life.

You can see the full feature on Broadsheet here: Noisy Oyster Opens in Shoreditch

Noisy Oyster 2 Nicholls Clarke Yard, London E1 6SH 07869 333701

Hours: Wed & Thu 5.30pm–11pm Fri midday–3pm, 5.30pm–11pm Sat midday–11pm Sun midday–9pm

noisyoysterlondon.co.uk @noisyoyster.london

It’s here, Broadsheet London has officially launched this month, and I can finally share some of the stories I’ve been shooting for them.

When Broadsheet announced its move to London a couple of months ago, it felt like a full-circle moment for me.

Back in Melbourne, I regularly shot for Broadsheet between 2015 and 2017, documenting new restaurants, cafés, and cultural goings-on across the city. It was a formative time in my career, capturing the pulse of Melbourne’s ever-evolving food scene with a camera in hand and curiosity leading the way.

Fast-forward to 2025: I’m now based back in my hometown of North London, and Broadsheet has made the leap from Australia to the UK capital. So when the London team got in touch about shooting Lupa, a new neighbourhood restaurant in Highbury, I jumped at the chance, not just because I love working with them again, but because Lupa is literally around the corner from my flat.

Photographing something on my doorstep felt like such a joy, a reminder of how meaningful local storytelling can be. I’ve been on the lookout for great restaurants in the area, and this one is a gem. Lupa is an intimate Roman-style trattoria with an elegant simplicity: house-made pasta, warm light, unfussy plating, and a genuine sense of hospitality.

It was the perfect project to mark the beginning of this new London chapter with Broadsheet, a blend of old and new, familiar and fresh.

You can read the full piece (with my photos) here:

👉 Lupa Is a Smart New Roman Trattoria in North London

Lupa
73 Highbury Park, London N5 1UA

Hours:
Wed to Fri 5.30pm–11pm
Sat midday–11pm
Sun midday–10pm

lupa.restaurant
@lupa.restaurant

A couple of weeks ago, I was commissioned by The New York Times to photograph pianist Nicholas McCarthy. 

Nicholas was born without a right hand, yet he has built a professional career performing some of the most technically demanding pieces in the classical repertoire, with just his left.

We shot at the iconic Maida Vale Studios, a place steeped in musical history. On Sunday 20th July, Nicholas performed Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand at the BBC Proms, held at the Royal Albert Hall, one of the most prestigious stages in classical music.

During the shoot, I wanted the portraits to feel grounded and powerful, to reflect his presence, his resilience, and the weight of the story he brings to every stage. There’s a quiet intensity to Nicholas, and I was drawn to capturing that balance between sensitivity and strength.

Alex Marshall’s article in The New York Times beautifully charts Nicholas’s journey, from teaching himself to play on a cheap keyboard to graduating from the Royal College of Music as their first one-handed piano student. Today, he’s commissioning new works for left-hand piano and helping develop inclusive music education pathways for disabled musicians.

You can read the full article here, published online on July 18th. It appeared in print in the U.S. edition on July 19th and in the International Edition on the weekend of July 26–27, 2025.

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Published in The New York Times (U.S. print edition: July 19, 2025; International Edition: July 26–27, 2025)

Portraits by me

Words by Alex Marshall

Commissioned by Maud Bodoukian

I’m excited to share a recent portrait commission for The Observer Magazine—a feature on the brilliant Melissa Febos, whose new book The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex explores celibacy, desire, and personal growth with the honesty and depth she’s so well known for.

It was a real pleasure to collaborate on this piece and create an image that would sit alongside such a thoughtful and revealing conversation. The portrait ran in print on 6th July and was published online on 3rd July.

You can read the full article here:

https://observer.co.uk/culture/interviews/article/celibacy-set-me-free-why-pausing-my-sex-life-let-me-flourish

Huge thanks to Alex at The Observer for the commission, and to Melissa for being such a generous and inspiring subject.

I recently had the pleasure of returning to Cornwall for an assignment with Travel + Leisure — my first time back since I was 13.

The story, written by Rosecrans Baldwin, explores a quiet but powerful creative resurgence happening along the Cornish coast. Over five four, I travelled from Penzance to St. Ives and beyond, photographing the people, spaces, and landscapes shaping this narrative, a community of artists, craftspeople, and designers all deeply connected to place.

One of the first stops was The Roundhouse Coffee in Penzance — a tiny, circular café tucked into an old tollhouse. It set the tone for the trip: unassuming, characterful, and full of heart. From there, I visited Porthmeor Studios in St. Ives, where I photographed painter Philip Medley’s work and the unexpected sight of shellfish traps stored below, a nod to the building’s dual heritage of art and fishing.

A highlight was documenting Roelof Uys, lead potter at the historic Leach Pottery, whose calm focus and connection to the studio’s legacy made a strong impression. I also spent time with Tom Kay, founder of the cold-water surf brand Finisterre, and Andrew Todd, the brand’s head designer, in his light-filled studio in St. Agnes — both thoughtful, passionate people whose work is rooted in sustainability and the sea.

In between, I captured quiet details: a plate of tagliatelle and a minimalist guest room at Harbour View House, cafés along the St. Ives harbourfront, the beach at low tide, and finally, St. Michael’s Mount, rising out of the water near Penzance like something from a dream.

What stood out most wasn’t just the beauty of Cornwall (though it’s undeniable), but the feeling that creativity there isn’t performative — it’s lived, built into the rhythm of the day, shaped by weather, tide, and community.

I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of telling this story — thank you to the Travel + Leisure team for the commission.

View the full article here:

https://www.travelandleisure.com/cornwall-england-stives-makers-11725063

If you’re interested in editorial commissions or story-led photography, feel free to get in touch.

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.

—

Published: 7 June 2025

Commissioned by: The Guardian Saturday Magazine

Location: Corinthia Hotel, London

Assisted by: Ayesha Kazim

I’m excited to share this recent portrait I shot for The Observer Magazine of the wonderful Holly Dawson and her beloved hens, marking the launch of her new book All of Us Atoms, published by Canongate.

This shoot was an absolute joy. When Holly mentioned her treehouse and chooks in the garden, I knew we had to make the most of her beautiful, personal setting—it felt like a perfect reflection of her story.

This assignment also served as a reminder of one of my go-to pieces of advice when people ask how to build a career in photography: aside from knowing how to take a good photo, being available and saying “yes” goes a long way.

The call from Alex at The Observer came in the night before the shoot. She had a story she needed covered in Lewes the very next day, and wanted a fast turnaround (as is often the case with editorial work). I was free, said yes immediately, and soon found myself on the phone with Holly, planning the shoot. As soon as she described her garden and treehouse, I knew we were in for something special.

Not long after that call, I received another request from a different publication for a shoot in London—also the next day. I knew I could make it work. I booked my train to Lewes for the early morning and set off at 7am. By 9:30am I was on the ground, meeting Holly and her hens at 10am. We mapped out the shoot and were wrapped by noon.

From there, I jumped on a 1pm train back to London, edited the shoot en route, delivered final images to The Observer by 3pm, and headed out for the second portrait session at 4pm—just in time for a 4:45 start. Both sets of edits were wrapped and delivered before 10am the next morning.

A busy day, but one I’ll remember fondly. I’m so proud of the resulting images and grateful to have been trusted with this story. Huge thanks to Alex at The Observer, and of course to Holly (and her hens!) for such a warm welcome.

Keep an eye out—I’ll share more about the second shoot soon, once it’s published.

I’m incredibly proud to share this still I captured of Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma on the set of Andor Season 2.

Having the opportunity to work on a production of this scale and significance has been a true career milestone.

Ten-year-old me, twenty-one-year-old me, thirty-six-year-old me — none of them could’ve imagined this moment. I genuinely feel so lucky to have contributed to such an extraordinary project.

If you’ve seen Andor Season 2 on Disney+, you’ll know just how much heart, talent, and dedication went into every frame.

It’s been wonderful to see the incredible response and recognition this series continues to receive.

A huge thank you to my amazing team and to every single person who brought this production to life.

I’m so excited for the release of Andor Season 2 tomorrow — and even more thrilled to finally share that I had the honour of photographing Faye Marsay, Kyle Soller, Forest Whitaker, and the Stormtroopers featured in the official poster!

It’s been a real privilege to work with such incredible talent and to contribute to the visual campaign for a series as iconic as Star Wars: Andor.

A huge thank you to my brilliant team and everyone involved in bringing this project to life. I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Lucasfilm and Disney+ on this one!

In December 2024, I was commissioned by Faber and Faber to shoot a portrait of the brilliant author Jess Kidd for the launch of her new book, Murder at Gull’s Nest. 

The shoot took place at Faber’s headquarters in London. Special thanks to my lovely assistant, Fikayo Adebajo.