WELCOME TO LPA MARCUS PEEL!

Few photographers balance people and place quite like Marcus Peel. Blending architecture, interiors and portraiture with ease, Marcus has built a distinctive body of work defined by clean compositions, beautiful light and a thoughtful eye for detail. Marcus has photographed projects and people across the globe, all the way from the Arctic Circle to Japan, collaborating with leading architects, designers, agencies, brands and institutions along the way.

Having worked with Marcus several times now through our Pop Up Agent service on some super campaigns and projects with our creative agency clients, we felt this was an opportunity not to be missed. Aside from being the UK’s number #1 award winning architectural and interiors photographer, alway delivering 110% and being a client favourite, Marcus is a dream work to with - what more can an agent ask for?

As Marcus joins the LPA roster, we sat down to discuss the experiences that have shaped his photographic journey, the relationship between personal and commercial work, and why curiosity, collaboration and a strong visual instinct continue to drive his practice (not to forget his fave on set snack!).

LPA: You've spent over 25 years photographing architecture, interiors and people. What first drew you to photography, and what has kept you passionate about it all these years?

MP: My school friend’s mum, Heather Angel, who was a very successful wildlife photographer first drew me to photography. From the age of seven, I would visit their house during the holidays and sometimes Heather would’ve just returned from another shoot in a far corner of the world and have all her slides out on the lightbox. It felt so magical and otherworldly. Unknowingly at that time, the photography seed was sown.

Pursuing personal projects alongside my commercial work has kept me passionate about photography. I find one inspires the other. It keeps things fresh, helps my photography evolve, and reinforces where I want to take it. I also find my personal work gives the client a better understanding of my photographic sensibility. I honestly can’t imagine life without my photography practice. It’s a deep love.

LPA: Where do you think architectural and interiors photography sits within the broader commercial world?

MP: It’s used in so many different sectors: art, architecture, interior design, property development, construction, hospitality, fashion, industrial, technology, corporate (especially banking and finance), furniture and lighting manufacturing, to name a few! Sometimes the architecture or interior would be the subject to the brief, other times it would be the backdrop to help showcase another product.

LPA: How would you describe your visual style, and where do you think that way of seeing comes from?

MP: Graphic, clean, minimalist, precise, abstract.

I’ve always had an interest in architecture and was originally wanting to pursue it as a profession before I was introduced to photography at school. For as long as I can remember, I’ve naturally gravitated towards the less is more approach to life and photography.

The Architects’ Journal Westfield Stratford City

LPA: You’ve photographed everywhere from the Arctic to Japan and worked with an incredibly diverse range of clients. Is there a project that particularly stands out as a career-defining moment?

MP: There are a few over different time periods however a more recent one was receiving a call from Media Arts Lab asking me to photograph Battersea Power Station for Apple. It’s also felt very satisfying to see Media Arts Lab and Apple winning awards for the project.

Although many people know you for architecture and interiors, your portrait work is equally compelling. What do you enjoy most about photographing people?

I love capturing people within an environment and using the environment as framework for the person and the photograph as a whole, using it to reflect a part of the person - their personality, their work etc. It might be an artist sitting at home with their painting on the wall or an architect standing inside their project.

LPA: How much planning goes into a shoot versus responding instinctively in the moment?

MP: Ultimately I’m led by my gut which tells me if I have the shot. It’s always an exciting moment! However, I plan as much as I can before the shoot to ensure I’m going to achieve what’s wanted and to avoid any nasty surprises. That said I always walk into a shoot with an open mind, making the most of what happens on the day and allowing for serendipity. It’s not about waiting for the perfect moment but about making the most of what is offered to you otherwise you might never get the shot!

Colour Stripe Study by Zach Lieberman and Daito Manabe at Outernet London

LPA: You describe yourself as a perfectionist. How does that influence the way you work on set?

MP: I’m acutely aware of my surroundings, the subject and how I approach each photograph. I’m mindful of not taking my perfectionist ways too far otherwise it could become too time consuming. Also, I always achieve as much as I can through camera before taking it into post-production.

LPA: Collaboration seems to be a big part of your practice. What do you value most in a creative team?

MP: Respect, mutual understanding, being proactive, challenging the status quo and each other, a can-do attitude and having fun!

LPA: How do your personal projects inform your commercial work, and vice versa?

MP: A good example is my two-year long personal project, Winchester Cathedral. As a result, an internationally renowned architecture practice, Purcell, who is a global leader in heritage has asked me to photograph a 30-year restoration project at Canterbury Cathedral.

Another example is when The Architect’s Journal commissioned me to photograph Westfield Stratford City including Stratford Town Centre Link, a pedestrian bridge. This inspired me to produce a series of abstract photographs of Sydney Harbour Bridge during a visit when I was running the Sydney marathon.

LPA: Are there any subjects, locations or stories you’re still hoping to photograph one day?

MP: Two other huge passions of mine are music (especially electronic) and films so I would love to incorporate these into my photography. I’ve always wanted to photograph film sets and music clubs and venues.

LPA: What excites you most about the photography industry right now?

MP: It’s never felt so collaborative to me as it does right now. There’s a great sense of community with so many willing to be supportive towards one another. It’s a very soul-nourishing feeling.

LPA: What kind of projects are you hoping to take on more of in the coming years?

MP: Large-scale industrial projects.

LX Hausys, Stuart Melrose and Kev Sunday X HIMACS for Reading Station Hill

LPA: What's the strangest thing that's happened during a shoot?

MP: I was photographing the front exterior of historic storehouses in Kawagoe, Japan from the opposite side of the main road which ran through the centre of the city. I noticed a car approaching so I stopped photographing and waited until it passed. The driver stopped just before passing in front of my camera and allowed me to finish taking my photograph! I moved on to the next storehouse and another car did the same thing. And then another. Every time a car approached it would stop and they wouldn’t move on until I ushered them on. I was taken aback by their kindness. A far cry from being shouted at by a passing van in London!

LPA: What's the most challenging location you've ever worked in?

MP: The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden and the surrounding countryside located 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. The cold cut through my gloves and boots so much so that I ended up wearing clothing kindly offered to me by the local indigenous people, the Sámi. The boots and mittens were made from reindeer and were instantly effective. The rest of the shoot was pain-free!

LPA: Which photograph of yours are you most proud of and why?

MP: This is very hard to answer but it has to be Norman Arches #2 from my project, Winchester Cathedral. It encapsulates everything that I love about photography: working instinctively and working at dawn, architecture, interiors, abstraction, minimalism, materiality, geometry. It was also chosen to be exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition last year and half of the limited edition prints were sold.

LPA: What always ends up in your camera bag that has nothing to do with photography?

LP: A banana. I’m a runner after all!

LPA: What's your go-to drink whilst shooting?

MP: Coffee for the morning kick of caffeine followed by a ridiculous amount of water throughout the day and finishing with a good cup of tea. Sorry that’s three!

LPA: What made joining LPA feel like the right next chapter for you, and what kinds of collaborations are you most excited to explore together?

MP: It feels like such a natural progression from having worked together on numerous jobs already and knowing how wonderful it is to work together. It just feels right.

We’re already brainstorming this and have so many sectors that we would love to explore! Can’t wait to start saying hello to graphic design agencies who specialise in annual reports for the industrial, manufacturing and technology sectors. Also, I’ve always loved working with design agencies who specialise in retail design so keen to explore this sector further. And of course, agencies who work with architecture, property development and interior design.

From photographing cathedrals at dawn to braving Arctic temperatures and finding inspiration in everyday moments, Marcus's passion for photography is as evident today as it was when he first peered over a lightbox as a child. We're thrilled to welcome him to the LPA roster and can't wait to see the exciting collaborations, conversations and creative opportunities that lie ahead. See his full edit here!