2022 - A Year in Review
2022 marked my twentieth year down in the smoke, making photographs of people, moments and things for a living. The hair may be gone, but the commitment remains.
As is tradition, here are a selection of some of my personal favourites from the year, with a few background thoughts now that the dust has settled on ‘22.
A word of warning, there is one image depicting a dead person within the selection.
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“Bilal Fawaz poses for photographs ahead of a training session for his upcoming professional debut, at a gym on February 08, 2022 in London, England. Bilal Fawaz, born in Nigeria, April 3rd, 1988 of Lebanese and Benin origin, was brought to London by his Uncle after the death of his mother under the pretence of being reunited with his father. Instead, he was trafficked into a modern-day slave operation, kept in a house and forbidden to go to school, he was hidden from visitors until his escape at age 14. He was taken in by social services then moved to a detention centre by the Home Office, awaiting deportation to Nigeria. He finally won his case after being forced to represent himself in court and was released under strict bail conditions leading him to discover he had a talent for Boxing. He has since competed for England, representing the country several times as an amateur, holding the titles of London Middleweight Champion and London Light Middleweight Champion. He is a Multi-Gold Champion for the International BoxCup Championship. He will take to the ring for his first professional fight on February 11th, 2022 at Bethnal Green's York Hall.”
Bilal’s story is just incredible. I spent a little time with him in the gym and then on the night of his frst fight and both times, he was a pleasure to wor with. He has all the traits you want from a boxer (in my enormous experience), with absolute self-belief, confidence and a willing to try whatever I suggested to get a decent image. Noticing the beautiful soft lights illuminating the gym, I dragged a few boxes into position and asked him to hop up before giving me some of his best moves.
“Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was freed from Iran, walks across the runway after landing at RAF Brize Norton on March 17, 2022 in Brize Norton, England. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 44 years-old, was arrested in April 2016 in Tehran on spying charges while visiting her parents and introducing them to her baby daughter, Gabriella. She was convicted and held in prison for five years and subsequently convicted of plotting the overthrow of Iran’s government. She has consistently denied all allegations.”
The release of Nazanin Zaghair-Ratcliffe from detention in Iran was a huge story in March, and I was able to be there as the pool photographer when she landed on British soil for the first time in nearly six years. It’s not a great frame and was an unnecessarily complicated image to get, as we were told where we could and could stand or point our cameras as the plane landed, but I got a photo.
“Members of the public view the photos of some of those who died during the Covid-19 pandemic, on the first anniversary of the creation of the Covid Memorial Wall, on March 29, 2022 in London, England. Bereaved family members and teams of volunteers painted around 145,000 hearts along a half-mile stretch of wall opposite the Houses of Parliament in memory of their relatives who died from Covid-19 during the Coronavirus Pandemic.”
After years of covering the Covid-19 story, 2022 saw the immediate threat to general safety decrease as the vaccines took effect and tolerance to the virus spread. This allowed people to mourn their own losses, with this image being taken at the Covid Memorial Wall. To me, the image works as it not only showed the grief that the population was feeling, and how it affected families of all ages, but also how we were now finally able to come together physically after such a long period of social distancing.
“Volunteers undergo the early stages of training, without firearms, at a Territorial Defence Force facility on April 30, 2022 outside Lviv, Ukraine. Providing both medical as well as tactical and weapons training, the group has trained hundreds of volunteers from Western Ukraine to defend their country. Comprising of 25 regional groups, the Territorial Defence Force has seen it's numbers surge since Russia invaded just over two months ago.”
Spending a month in Lviv, I was able to see the impacts of the invasion of Ukraine on civilian life away from the frontline. Visiting this facility, it was fascinating to watch the volunteers running through their training without weapons due to low supply levels. It reminded me of playing army as a child in the woods but with potentially deadly consequences.
“Hlib Kihitov pays his respects to his twin brother during the funeral of 21 year-old Yegor Kihitov, on April 26, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Born fifteen minutes before his brother, Yegor volunteered in the army but was killed in shelling near Popasna. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine.”
Funerals were a daily event, with multiple services held across the city. What was initially shocking in the first few days, became the norm after a few weeks, sometimes having to remind myself of the emotional trauma for those involved as I worked. However, there were moments that re-set everything, such as this farewell to a twin brother. I can’t even begin to imagine the emotions involved.
“Oksana Balandina poses for a portrait in her hospital room where she continues to receive treatment and therapy on May 06, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Oksana lost both legs and four fingers from her left hand when she stepped on a mine while walking in her hometown of Lysychansk, in the eastern Luhansk region, in March. While recovering from surgery here in Lviv, she married her partner, Viktor Vasyliv, in a hospital-room ceremony.”
Amongst the harrowing stories, there were inspirational moments of belief and motivation, such as that of Oksana Balandina. A video of her being carried in her husband’s arms during a first dance as they were married in a hospital ward went viral, with her instagram feed pivoting seemlessly from her previous life to clips showing her daily fitness and recovery routines as an amputee.
My full post on the Russian invasion of Ukraine can be found here.
“Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a press conference in response to the publication of the Sue Gray report Into "Partygate" at Downing Street on May 25, 2022 in London, England.”
Back in the UK, 2022 was one hell of a year for politics. As Boris Johnson’s premiership seemed to be teetering on collapse and his opponents circled, a moment of frustration during a press conference provided a moment that was used for months to come.
“Cardboard cutouts depicting Queen Elizabeth II during two different periods of her reign are seen on the top of a decorated bus, as racegoers prepare for the days events, on June 04, 2022 in Epsom, England. The Queen has pulled out of attending the Epsom Derby due to suffering discomfort during the Trooping the Colour on Thursday. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 4, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.”
In hindsight, 2022 was all about Queen Elizabeth II, but sadly not just due to her Platinum Jubilee. While she wasn’t in attendance at the Epsom Derby, I went along to look for displays of Royal support and loved this group of boys hanging out with a couple of Queens on an open-top bus.
“An animal rebellion activist is arrested after running onto the racecourse, on day two of the Epsom Derby, on June 04, 2022 in Epsom, England. The Queen has pulled out of attending the Epsom Derby due to suffering discomfort during the Trooping the Colour on Thursday. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 4, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.”
Not everyone was there to party, and I found myself standing right behind a group of animal rights activists who ran out onto the course ahead of the main race of the day. Not everyone believed my luck in being right by the side of them, and I made a sharp exit when I heard police radios reporting that the group had a photographer working with them who should also be apprehended.
“US singer Billie Eilish performs in the headline slot on the Pyramid Stage during day three of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 24, 2022 in Glastonbury, England.”
Everyone who knows me is aware of my love of the Glastonbury festival but the only image I really loved from this year was probably the hardest to get. I’m ambivalent about Billie Eilish but knew it was worth heading out to get a picture from the crowd. Being the modern goth that she is, her lighting was essentially strobes or solid red light so when combined with standing on a wobbly step, in the middle of a crowd, hand-holding a 500mm and waiting for gaps between the flags, this shot makes my cut.
“Conservative leadership candidate Liz Truss speaks to supporters and journalists as she launches her campaign to become the next Prime Minister on July 14, 2022 in London, England. Liz Truss, the current Foreign Secretary, survived the first round of voting and is in the remaining six candidates vying to become the next Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister.”
There’s something about this image that tells me all I needed to know about Liz Truss. Even as I was shooting the press conference, it was all I could see or think about. Even after the press conference finished and she walked from the stage, missing the route she’d been told to take and finding herself standing inches from the photographers until she was led by the arm out of the room. Even as all of her VIP supporters patted each other on the back and were interviewed about how Liz was the person to lead the UK into a brighter future.
“Swimmers enjoy an early morning swim in the cool water of Jesus Green lido as the temperatures begin to rise on July 18, 2022 in Cambridge, England. Temperatures were expected to hit 40C in parts of the UK this week, prompting the Met Office to issue its first red extreme heat warning in England, from London and the south-east up to York and Manchester.”
The Summer heatwave required both points of view to be illustrated so, for the positive, I headed to Cambridge with my underwater housing to see what I could do with those seeking relief from the heat in the outdoor pool.
“An aerial view shows a Union Flag flying among the the rubble and destruction in a residential area, following a large blaze the previous day, on July 20, 2022 in Wennington, Greater London. A series of fires broke out across England yesterday as the UK experienced a record-breaking heatwave. Temperatures in many places reached 40c and over.”
Meanwhile, in Wennington, a massive grassland blaze engulfed a community, reducing rows of houses to ashes. Flying a drone from the perimeter, it was interesting to see the small patches of normality that had survived, such as the garden pool and the flagpole.
“Jill Scott of England celebrates with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Trophy during the England Women's Team Celebration at Trafalgar Square on August 01, 2022 in London, England. The England Women's Football team beat Germany 2-1 in the Final of The UEFA European Women's Championship last night at Wembley Stadium.”
In August, “it” finally came home, with the England Women’s team celebrating their victory at the Euro championships with a party in Trafalgar Square. Joker in the pack Jill Scott, chose the moment to place her hat on the trophy and carry out her own post-match interview.
“Boris Johnson waves to supporters after addressing the media from outside number 10 before formally resigning as Prime Minister, at Downing Street on September 06, 2022 in London, England. Boris Johnson is stepping down following the election of Liz Truss, the former foreign secretary, as Conservative Party leader.”
The fall of Boris Johnson in September saw many of those who had been calling for his departure, suddenly speaking of their huge support for the man and his achievements, but only now that his successor had been found. So is politics.
“British Foreign Secretary and Conservative party leader candidate Liz Truss is seen during the Conservative Leadership hustings on August 19, 2022 in Manchester, England. Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak are vying to become the new leader of the Conservative Party and the UK's next Prime Minister.”
As it happens, I would say that his successor wasn’t around long enough to create much of an impact but a quick look at the financial markets through that period tell a very different story. The night I shot the image below, I was covering a hustings in Manchester, as Tory party members listened to speeches and Q&A sessions with both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. The thing that sticks in my mind from the evening was the huge amount of support for Truss, with the majority fully signing up for her vision of the future. Meanwhile, Sunak took the opportunity to tell those in the audience who were voting for Truss that they were making an enormous mistake. I remember thinking how brave that move was, as it really risked alienating those undecided members of the audience.
“Crowds gather outside Buckingham Palace as the news spreads following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 09, 2022 in London, England. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.”
September saw the death of Queen Elizabeth II and a strange combination of well-rehearsed State procedure meeting a general public working out how it felt about the Royal family in 2022. Standing outside Buckingham Palace when the announcement was made, the gathered crowds were a combination of passing tourists, royalist supporters and commuters wanting to witness the moment.
“Customers of the Old Coffee House pub watch as King Charles III addresses the nation for the first time since becoming King, on September 09, 2022 in London, England. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.”
Following an announcement that Prince Charles would address the nation, I wanted to find a location where people would stop and watch, so headed into the West End to find a suitable pub. The first landlord said yes until he suddenly said no, minutes before it was due to begin, so I found myself running through Soho, in a bid to find anywhere, no matter how it looked. Luck was on my side as I ran into the Old Coffee House pub, to see an old sign reading “Your King & Country Need You” right next to the screen.
“The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II leaves RAF Northolt, west London, from where it will be taken to Buckingham Palace, London, to lie at rest overnight in the Bow Room on September 13, 2022 in London, England. The coffin carrying Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II leaves St Giles Church travelling to Edinburgh Airport where it will be flown to London and transferred to Buckingham Palace by road. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.”
When the coffin arrived in west London, I battled to get a spot with a clean view of the car near the gates of Northolt airbase. As the hearse passed, a sea of phones partially obscured my view, leading me to think that the shot hadn’t worked as I’d hoped. However, it was only afterwards that I appreciated how illustrative it was of how the Queen was being mourned. Unlike previous Royal funerals when the public, dressed in black, stood for hours to pay their respects, the death of Queen Elizabeth II was now something to capture and rebroadcast on social media, with the moment framed by the viewers experience. It was an event to show how much participation you had, rather than a moment of thinking of the dead. It’s simply the way society is and while I don’t see that mindset changing, I can’t imagine that in years to come, major events will involve holding up lumps of plastic in front of your face.
“A young girl wearing a homemade hat featuring Queen Elizabeth II looks at the floral tributes outside Windsor Castle on September 18, 2022 in Windsor, England. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.”
On the day of the funeral, I was lucky enough to be inside the grounds of Windsor Castle to photograph the procession, but following on from my comments above, the moment that stuck with me was the young girl wearing her own tribute to the Queen as she visited the area on the previous evening.
My full post on the death of Queen Elizabeth II can be found here.
“A screen in the JET Main Control Room displays a helium plasma from the helium C43 campaign at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), where the Joint European Torus (JET) plasma physics experiment is based, on September 22, 2022 in Abingdon, England. In February 2022, scientists at the centre announced that they had generated the highest sustained energy pulse ever created by fusing together atoms, more than doubling their own record set in 1997. The UK Atomic Energy Authority hosts JET, but its scientific programme is run by a European collaboration named "EUROfusion" . ITER, the successor to JET, is currently being built in France, with the first plasma scheduled for December 2025. Scientists have strived to harness nuclear fusion as an alternative energy source for decades but recent developments at JET suggest that a breakthrough is edging closer. Research teams are already carrying out stress tests on materials to work out how to construct a nuclear fusion power plant, with Professor Chris Llewellyn Smith, director of energy research at Oxford University, stating that "with enough money we could probably build a fusion reactor now but it would not be economical. The challenge is to make it reliable and competitive."
For some reason, the team at JET wouldn’t allow me inside the nuclear fusion test chamber during a plasma so I had to make do with this amazing view from the monitors. Tch! Health and safety gone mad, I tell you.
“British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement after taking office outside Number 10 in Downing Street on October 25, 2022 in London, England. Rishi Sunak will take office as the UK's 57th Prime Minister today after he was appointed as Conservative leader yesterday. He was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. He said his aim was to unite his party and the country.”
With the Truss experiment consigned to the pub quiz answers and history books of tomorrow, Rishi Sunak was named the new Prime Minister in October. Alongside the remote cameras and various lens choices, I managed to catch a flash from another camera, using my Nikon Z9. A strange oddity of mirrorless cameras is that unlike DSLR cameras, which would have caught a flash illuminating the whole frame, the latest cameras will only catch a strip of light. Often, it’s frustratingly along an unimportant area of the frame but, on that day, it came together nicely.
“Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds a "huddle" press conference with political journalists on board a Government aeroplane on November 13, 2022 inflight to Indonesia. The new British prime minister aims to articulate his foreign policy vision here while grappling with economic instability at home.”
An all-expenses trip to Bali sounds both luxurious and an opportunity to make amazing images but working with a political bubble often leads to less than ideal opportunities. During the could of days that I was on the ground, photo opps were either well-rehearsed handshakes or fleeting moments before I was bundled out of the room, to leave the official Downing Street photographer inside. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that my favourite picture came before we’d even landed, with a press “huddle” on the plane as the Prime Minister held an informal Q&A with the travelling lobby journalists. As you can imagine, with space at a premium, finding the right angle was a challenge but using the pop-out screen and dropping to my knees, I found a gap between someone legs and got an image that sums up the moment.
“A man takes to the air after hitting a ramp while sledging in Alexandra Park on December 12, 2022 in London, England. Snow and ice disrupted rail travel and closed schools in parts of southeast England on Monday.”
Finally, to wrap up my year, heavy snow came to London so I wandered my local area to see what I could find. Spotting a group of teenagers I wandered over just as they discovered a ramp. Undetered by the wipeout suffered by the first pioneer, the group kept hitting that ramp over and over again. A great way to see the working year out.
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Thanks for following my work in 2022, and for your thoughts and comments on my Instagram feed. It’s always interesting to hear your thoughts on the stories that I’ve covered. Thanks, as always, to Getty Images for allowing me to witness these events, and to Nikon Europe for providing the best equipment with which to record it.