Monocle, the gift that keeps on giving

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

It's that time of year again the gift guide issue of Monocle and this year it's themed. All the gift ideas are from vienna (who knew they made so many cool things!).

I also shot some of the new Monocle mechanise they are selling this christmas, they have there own umbrella now and I have to say it's probably the best made umbrella I've ever seen but if you're thinking of getting me one for christmas don't I have a tenancy to lose them!

We had lots of fun with paper and boxes this issue and I thought Richard spencer-powells choice of colours for the boxes worked so well I had to give them there very own photo.

All the fun of the fair

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

For my latest piece of personal work I had the pleasure of working with Stylist Carrie Louise on this project we wanted to look at the great textures and objects you get at a fun fair and shoot them in an abstract way. It was a fun couple of days shooting, if not a little messy as we hired a candy floss machine for the day. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to eat candy floss again probably the stickiest day in the studio I've had so far, and rest assured that no goldfish were harmed in the making of this project just a couple of coconuts!

Michael Parkinson's background

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

I was recently commissioned by Sky arts to shoot some backgrounds for a couple of their new shows, here is the one I shot for the new Michael Parkinson show Parkinson: masterclass it starts on the 13th of November looks quite good. It's up on 48 sheet poster nation wide keep an eye out for them. Unfortunately I didn't get to meet the man himself the portrait was shot by their in house photographer. I'm sure parky is a fascinating man to talk to, maybe next time?

Pick your teeth

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

I found these whilst Halloween shopping. Thought they were such a fangtastic selection of ghoulish teeth I had to shoot them, I decided that they deserved there own halloween alter. Which one's would you pick?

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween of trick or treating this weekend!

Shooting medals

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

I was asked by Bloomburg Business Week to photograph the 2012 Olympic medals. I had to shoot them at the London offices of Rio Tinto who are providing the metal for the medals. Once we had cleared security we were taken to a room to shoot the medals. It was amazing to get to hold something as special as an Olympic gold medal, it was a lot bigger and heavier than I expected. I had only an hour and a half to shoot them, which is a lot less time than I usually take over a still life, but I'm really pleased with the results!

One interesting fact I learnt was that the gold medal is actually 92.5% silver, but I guess if you win one you don't care what it's made of!

Good luck to all the competitors at this years Olympics but as a Londoner, I will be cheering for team GB!

Jelly Jubilee

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

I found this jelly mould by Lydia Leith and knew I wanted to do a test shot with it unfortunately I have been so busy I didn't manage to do it before the jubilee so to wet your appetite I created this more simple shot for the jubilee weekend.

It's win win all round.

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

My latest Advertising work for Fallon is up and about around the UK. It was shot for Cadburys who are helping you to send a message of encouragement to team GB and you get to eat their lovely Chocolate so a win win situation all round! We built a giant pin board in the studio then pinned hundreds of cards to it, a few prick fingers later this was the result. If you run out of chocolate easter eggs over the weekend grab a bar of Cadburys Dairy milk and write team GB a message of support.

All work and no play makes jack a dull boy

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

Here is one of my latest pieces of personal work, and as we're in the middle of "Mad Men" fever I had to pair it up with my whiskey shot from a few weeks ago I think they work well together. If the rest of the series is anything like the first episode the hype is well deserved. Hope you enjoy my new work and Mad Men.

All images © David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

Hair of the dog

All images ©David Sykes 2012 All rights reserved.

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a good holiday?

January might be known as the month of recovery, and of abstinence from the temptations of the festive period, but in my opinion the long winter nights need a bit of old fashioned warmth. So, for the first post of 2012, I thought I'd share my latest personal work, something traditional to warm the cockles as the cold bites. Oh, and in the spirit of recovery, here's the antidote as well.

Last minute gift ideas

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

For those of of you who are looking for those last minute gift ideas have a look at the December issue of Monocle they have some fantastic gift ideas in there gift guide.

I was asked to create a Monocle version of a department store window display for each of there gift guide sections. I always love shooting Monocles gift guide as I get a sneak preview to all the latest and greatest gifts on sale (and I have to admit that quite a few were added to my charisma list.)

So this is my last post before Christmas so I'd just like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

QR Riddle

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

I wanted to promote the relaunch of my website and this blog with a bespoke shot and a mail-out. The QR code is the perfect example of something physical that links to the digital world, so I hit on the idea of building and shooting my own physical QR code and sending out a limited edition mailer. Just the QR photograph; no name, no other links or information, just that.

I wanted to play with the juxtaposition of a physical object linking directly to the digital, so I decided to build a 3D model of the code and create the image in one shot. This is in line with the way I like to work, I try to shoot as many things ‘in camera’ as I can. This meant scaling up and then building the 8 foot square model of the code. To create another link to my previous work I used objects from around the studio to build up the shot. Over three days, I worked with the stylist, Carrie Louise, to source the props, plan out and construct the QR city.

To further demonstrate the ‘in camera’ feel of the code I shot on film. To give the mail-out the sense of being a sheet of 10 x 8 film I retained the full frame of the shot, including studio in the background and rebates. I even presented it in the same bags you would get the film back from the lab in.

So, a brand new website via QR promotion with a traditional twist. An intriguing QR code arrives in the post, would you scan it?

Credits: Website designed by The Chase and built by Christian Duncan

Paper owls

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

This is my latest work for Dell working with the agency VML. I've been asked to shoot a few paper craft objects over the last year and I always find them such lovely things to work with all the different folds,colours and textures they alway make great subjects.

Aftermath

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

Here is the first of a new series of personal work I'm working on called "aftermath" looking at the interesting colours and textures that are left behind when the meal is over.

The final frontier...

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

One of my latest shots is up on poster's for You Tube's space lab. I worked with Aidan Sharkey at Toaster.

You Tube are asking people to come up with a science experiment for space and upload a video explaining it to YouTube. If the idea wins, it will be performed on the International Space Station and live streamed on YouTube to the world!

It was a fun shoot to work on, the helmet was a genuine nasa helmet, shipped all the way from America for the shoot so had to be handled with care!

Fuelling imaginations

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

My latest work for Esso is now running on 48 and 6 posters in the U.K. The shoot was commissioned by DDB London working with Art director Matt Lee and copywriter Brian Ridley. One of my first ever commissions was for Lego 12 years ago so was great to be working with Lego again.

Monocle cover

This month I was fortunate to be asked to shoot two covers for the latest edition of Monocle the first is the front cover and the second is the design directory 2011/2012 cover.The issues main theme is "How do you jump-start Japan?" which is obviously a very poignant subject at the moment. Monocle has produced a limited edition leather support Japan bracelet with all the proceeds going to Civic Force who are helping with the relief effort after the earthquakes. Worth having a look.

Issue 43 is out now check it out.

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

Stopwash

All images ©David Sykes 2011 All rights reserved.

My latest work for Persil Bio is now running in the press and up on posters in the U.K. I was working with the very talented creative team from BBH art director Harry Orton and copywriter Robin Warman. Model making was by the excellent Wesley west and styling by the fabulous Jennie webster

Party season

All images ©David Sykes 2010 All rights reserved.

As we're in middle of the party season I thought it was a good time to show you my party inspired new personal work. And I'd like to wish all my friends and followers a fantastic Christmas and a very happy new year. I have lots planned for 2011 so watch this space for all my latest news and photography.

Monocle gift guide

Here is my latest work for Monocle magazine. This month issue is there excellent christmas gift guide one of my favourite issues to work on every year as I get a sneak preview of all the latest and greatest gifts and gadgets out there, and some fantastic cheese to sample!If you struggling for gift ideas would recommend a look its a bumper issue!

All images ©David Sykes 2010 All rights reserved.

All images ©David Sykes 2010 All rights reserved.

All images ©David Sykes 2010 All rights reserved.

Hellmann's with a Spark

All images ©David Sykes 2010 All rights reserved.

My latest work for Hellmann's mayonnaise is now running in the press and up on posters in the U.K. I was working with the excellent art director Guilherme Nobrega at ogilvy.It was a fun shoot although the studio did smell of garlic for a week after!