I love a portrait that’s been stripped right back. Just a face, a white background, nothing to hide behind. No fancy location, no distractions. Just a person and whatever their expression happens to give away in that moment.

Black and white takes that even further for me. Take the colour out, and you’re left with light, shadow, and character. That’s it. That’s the whole picture.

I didn’t come up with this on my own. Richard Avedon showed the world that you don’t need anything but a plain background to turn an ordinary person into something unforgettable. Mark Mann gets in close and somehow makes people open up, even the guarded ones. And Platon strips things back so far that all the power and performance falls away, and you’re just looking at a human being.

Musicians hold a special place in my heart. I’ve been a working musician myself for 30 years, so I know what it feels like to stand under lights and put something honest out into a room. That experience changes how I photograph other musicians. I’m not just looking for a good angle or a flattering light. I’m looking for the moment that shows what it actually costs and what it takes to spend a life making music. It’s one performer recognising another, just from behind the camera instead of on stage.

That’s what I’m chasing with my own work. A portrait that doesn’t need anything extra to hold your attention, because the person standing in front of the camera is already enough.