In Their Element - Tim Minchin, Los Angeles, May 2015

“I wasn’t sure if I’d like you. That’s why I said I was only available for 2 hours. But you can stay now.”

Brutal honesty juxtaposed with quirky warmth, magical pianical (go with it) fingers and a slight element of distrust… I’m convinced these are key ingredients to TIM MINCHIN‘s brilliance.

It took me six months to finally get to him.

A warm overcast Los Angeles morning was spent listening to family recordings, being treated to piano and guitar solo wizardry, frank and witty dialogue about life and politics, and a short but lively jaunt into the local wilderness.

This is one of my favourite photos from our time together – I’d never seen him this way before.

His ferocious locks.
His painted eyes.
Gone.

And there he is.

Here is Tim being brilliant IN THIS BBC SKETCH along with a bunch of wonderful talents including DAME JUDI DENCH, SIR IAN MCKELLAN, BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH and PRINCE CHARLES.

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‘IN THEIR ELEMENT’ – This project is an exploration of the more intimate aspects of life as an artist away from the lights of the main stage.

A study of transition in the lives of these artists over an extended period of time.

30 years in fact.

I’ve spent the last four years documenting actors, photographers, painters, musicians and directors in Australia, New Zealand, the US, and around Europe.

26 more years of observation, exploration and wonder lie ahead (I will be 58 years of age on completion of this series).

My philosophy is that images are of a place and time. Never to be repeated.

I feel the inherent value of this project will be in the documentation of how each artist morphs and changes over time, and the evolution of the landscape that I find them within.

Where will they be in 10 years? 20 years?

I don’t know, but I hope that I will be there to document their journeys.