THE BIG SHOT
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GREG BRENNAN
When I bought my first camera in 1991, I could hardly have predicted where it would take me. The truth is, although I knew I had an appreciation for the art, I never had any grand designs of rubbing shoulders with the world’s biggest names, nor did I imagine I’d eventually get frames that would stand the test of time. But as life often proves, the unexpected paths are sometimes the most rewarding.
I’ve always believed that good photography is about more than just snapping away and hoping for the best. Sure, you’ve got to have the technical know-how – proper lighting, framing, all that. But what really makes a photograph sing is its ability to tell a story, to catch something no one else has. Some might say it’s about being in the right place at the right time. I’d argue it’s also about knowing how to be that fly on the wall, while also ensuring everyone is comfortable and enjoying themselves.
their most candid.” “
There I was, camera in hand, capturing them at
I cut my teeth, not just on glamorous red carpets or carefully orchestrated press events, but also by hanging around where the real stories were happening – outside, where the air was fresh and the expressions were too. Rather than jostling with a sea of lenses all pointed at the same face, I tried a different approach: patience, charm, and a touch of wit. My tried-and-true method has always been to get them smiling first, and everything else will fall into place. People are at their most natural when they’re having a good time; when the mask slips for a brief moment – that’s when I hit the shutter. And that’s when you get something special.
Now, it’s funny to think about all the portraits that have come and gone through my camera’s eye over the years. Musicians like Eminem and Lady Gaga, actors like Jack Nicholson and Clint
Eastwood, world leaders like Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela, royalty from across the globe – even the late Queen Elizabeth herself. I’ll admit, seeing one of my portraits held in the Royal Photographic Collection still gives me a bit of a thrill. It’s not every day you can say The Queen requested one of your pictures, is it?
London, with all its eclectic characters and a never-ending parade of famous faces, proved to be the perfect stage. There was always someone making history, someone about to shake the world; and there I was, camera in hand, capturing them at their most candid. Over the years, black-and-white photography became my signature style. It strips away the distractions. No flashy colours; just the raw, unfiltered essence of the subject. In a way, I think it brings us closer to the truth of the person in front of the lens. You see the rebel, the visionary, the human being behind the title.
But enough of the heavy stuff. What’s photography if you can’t enjoy it? I’ve
had a grand old time photographing some of the most well-known figures in the world. Some of them even asked for copies – Michael Jackson, Bill Clinton, and yes, even the British Royal Family, to name a few. Still, it’s never really been about the fame for me. It’s about that connection, that brief instant when the world around you fades and all that matters is capturing the moment, the story in front of you.
So, here I am, many years later, with a library of memories spanning decades. Each image in this book is more than just a picture – it’s a snapshot of history, of people who’ve made their mark, often in ways we never quite expected. And for me, it’s been an absolute pleasure to be behind the lens for so many of those moments.
Now, let me show you some of my favourites.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Grosvenor House Hotel, Mayfair
February 2008
BAFTA afterparty, celebrating his win for his role in ‘There Will Be Blood’
Tilda Swinton
Grosvenor House Hotel, Mayfair
February 2008
BAFTA afterparty, celebrating her win for her role in ‘Michael Clayton’
Tom Ford
Loulou’s, Mayfair
December 2013
Leaving the British Fashion Awards
Dita Von Teese
Royal Horticultural Halls
November 2007
At the British Fashion Awards
William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
Hyde Park
May 2007
Attending the Combined Cavalry Old Comrades Memorial Parade
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
The Mall
June 2018
Trooping the Colour
What is a Big Shot? The subject. The moment. The image itself. Sometimes all three converge into something unforgettable. For over 30 years, Greg Brennan – one of Britain’s most respected press photographers – has been finding those convergences. Gaga. Kate. Clint. Tyson. The Queen. He’s captured them all.
With accompanying narratives by his son Dylan, this is the story behind the shots – a life lived one frame at a time.
ISBN: 978-1-78884-353-9