I was reading an interview with Jane Bown the other day on the Observer's archives online and she mentioned that her favourite photographer was Murdo McLeod which she described as 'simply the best'. I decided to investigate and see what Murdo's work was like.
I wasn't disappointed when I came across a collection of his images on the Guardian's website.
His work verges on the ridiculous. He seems to have a way about him where he gets his sitters to do things they wouldn't normally be seen doing. For example, many of his subjects have been captured pulling faces with Bobby Charlton and Jeremy Paxman among them.
He seems to shoot a portrait where we see more of the person than we ever did before. They are given the Murdo treatment and they become more human and more accessible.
His use of lighting is interesting too. As are his props. You only have to look at the portrait of Roy Keane with a bird's skull to see the lengths he is prepared to go to when it comes to props and the charisma he must have to get his sitters to do exactly as he wants.
His humour is evident in all his images but he does not mock his subjects instead he seems to elevate them to a level we've never seen before by making the extraordinary do the ordinary.
His work can be seen on the Guardian's website and also on his own website.
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