Getty Images Chris Jackson reveals what it’s really like photographing the world’s most famous family
THE man behind some of the world’s most iconic images of the royal family has revealed what goes on when they are not in front of his camera’s lens.
HE IS the man behind some of the most iconic images of the world’s most famous family.
Getty Images Chris Jackson is one of a handful of royal photographers with an unrivalled view into their intimate moments, from births to christenings and weddings.
But it’s not all swanning around at official engagements in the job that can involve travelling hundreds of kilometres, hours of preparation and battling intense security to capture a few minutes on film in remote locations, he said.
“It can be hard work. Take Prince Charles for example, the Prince of Wales, he’s a very hard worker,” the royal snapper told news.com.au.
“You go on a royal tour with him and it’s up to 8-10 engagements in a day, travelling around. He often doesn’t have lunch so that often means I don’t get lunch either so they’re certainly hard working and it’s difficult trying to keep up with them sometimes.”
Mr Jackson has been shooting the royal family for 14 years, watching Princes William and Harry grow up, covering Prince William’s 2011 wedding to the Duchess of Cambridge and the arrival of their three children.
He’s one half of a power couple entrusted with curating their public image along with his wife, Natasha Archer, the Duchess of Cambridge’s famously discrete stylist credited with some of her incredible fashion choices, from designer gowns to chic Gucci suits and post-labour ward polka dot prints.
Speaking at Getty’s London office, Mr Jackson said it’s an incredible privilege to be able to capture “huge moments that live on in history” in a growing family, and see the arrival of children and Meghan Markle on the scene.
“There’s never really a dull moment and it’s one of the privileges of the job that you’re involved so deeply in the story,” he said. “I’m there documenting the same kind of core group, the royal family ... and you get to know the nuances and the ins and outs of them in different situations.”
His personal archive includes some of the most memorable moments in recent years, from William and Kate’s first appearance as a married couple after their Westminster Abbey wedding, to the birth of Prince George and a favourite snap of him peeking into Princess Charlotte’s pram at her christening. Other favourites include working with Prince Harry and his Sentebale charity in Lesotho, as well as visiting Pakistan with the Prince Charles and Camilla.
He said one of the most exciting moments so far has been the appearance of Ms Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto which caught photographers by surprise and marked the start of a “new era”.
“It was a great surprise actually to see Meghan appear with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games,” he said. “People speculated because Meghan shoots her television show Suits in Toronto [but] no one really knew what was happening so it was a nice surprise for everyone to see her appear and watch them watch the wheelchair tennis.
“It’s always great photographing a couple watching something very relaxed because you get these lovely interactions and these nice natural candid moments so it couldn’t have been a better introduction really, from a technical point of view, the light was lovely. There was a great atmosphere and a nice crowd of public there so it was the perfect introduction.”
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As for the May 19 nuptials that have the world excited, Mr Jackson said he’ll be hoping to capture the unexpected moments that resonate with people, such as the “look of love” picture recently taken in Northern Ireland.
“It’s weird in this era of digital photography you don’t have to develop your photos, you’re looking in the back of your camera and you do get that feeling when you get something that you know has a kind of resonance and is going to appeal,” he said.
“It was just an everyday situation but there was that one sort of glance from Meghan to Harry, but it gives that picture something special that people kind of associate with.”
Police expect more than 100,000 people to descend on the medieval town of Windsor for the wedding day, with tight security and a huge global audience adding to the pressure.
However Mr Jackson said it’s all part of the excitement of trying to capture the unexpected moments that sum up the emotions of the global event.
“That’s part of the excitement of my job is the anticipation of the unexpected and it’s very much something that drives you forward as a photographer is not knowing what’s going to happen on the day,” he said.
“It’s a lot of pressure and certainly I’ll be feeling it on the day to try and capture that shot in a very limited amount of time but that’s what you thrive on as a photographer so I’m be looking forward to it.”
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