One of Rob's great features is his laugh and smile. During the original part of this project in 2012 I wanted to make it the focal point of his photograph which resulted in a shot of him mid-laugh with trademark grin.
I've known Rob for over 14 years and I'd like to think that making him laugh is not an especially difficult task. And it is for that reason I challenged myself to take a portrait showing another side of him. I wasn't seeking a deliberately serious, stoney-faced expression but I was conscious of not replicating an 'easy' shot from four years ago.
Turns out that not having too much of a laugh during the session was surprisingly hard! So to avoid the temptation of falling back on the 'easy' option I mixed up the shoot as much as possible to keep us both on our toes. In hindsight I think that the quick-fire approach, while exhausting, created more opportunities to photograph something different.
When I reviewed the images, this one stood out. It was taken after a short break in the shoot and while it's not fully candid there is a hint of being caught between poses - being slightly unguarded. It's a brief, unassuming moment which highlights a quieter and more pensive side to Rob's character.
