Well, hello there photophiles! It’s been a long time since we posted news and a lot has happed, like the complete relocation of the studio to a new part of the country.

The Barefoot Photographer is once more at the globally prestigious Horrocon event at Magna! We’re also the official sponsor of a very special kick off screening of A Clockwork Orange with the legendary Malcolm McDowell. Malcolm will be watching the film with us and then taking a Q&A from the audience. Photography will be presented by our team, and we’re very excited to be a part of such a unique event.

All through the week we’ll be with Asia Argento, Malcolm and Nice Frost (Shaun of the Dead) for a fun filled weekend. Interviews, photoshoots, autograph sessions, food and drink; it’ll be a wild weekend. See www.horrorconuk.com and book your tickets now if you want to be part of this special weekend.

Dario Argento has inspired me for 30 years. Visually, his works are a masterpiece of colour, composition and lighting. His tour-de-force technicality in visceral movie making is legendary and he is a known influence on his good friends Quinten Tarantino, John Carpenter and many more. He’s not referred to as “The Italian Hitchcock” for no reason!

I was having dinner with him while we flipped through my portfolio. I will never forget the moment when this master of visuals sat back, looked at my work and simply said “Bellissimo!” with no hesitation. Magical.

Next day we were shooting! Dario doesn’t do photo-shoots like this. Not ever. We went deep into an industrial steel complex, lit the scene and began shooting. It was an instant synergy. Having the maestro himself as my subject, I put him into a giallo film noir! We’d discussed film noir the night before, and it seemed only fitting given the over sized trench coat he was wearing and the massive space we were in to bring out that look.

Dario Argento, Shot by Martin Brown, The Barefoot Photographer

I have many more to come from this shoot. I will see Dario again in August for the launch of his auto-biography and be doing the photography to cover the event. I will take a print in of this image for Dario to sign as a one off, signed by myself and Dario as a true collector’s piece.

Until August for more work with the Maestro!

Martin