The photographer behind Harry and Meghan’s pregnancy image, Misan Harriman, has urged Londoners to let their camera “rule with its lens”, as he joins the judging panel for the Standard’s Life in Lockdown photography competition.
The Standard launched its photography and video competition this month, calling on Londoners to capture their everyday lives during the pandemic. Whether it be a video of how you spend your Friday nights, pictures showing something new rustled up in the kitchen, or your family out running, we want to see your personal reflections of lockdown — creativity will be at the forefront of healing and recovery.
The competition is part of our Evening Standard Recovery Fund and London Rising campaigns.
Harriman’s photograph of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex under a tree near their home in Los Angeles was used by the couple this week to announce Meghan’s pregnancy, and made front pages around the world. He shot the image remotely using an iPad.
Speaking about the competition, the Nigerian-born Londoner, who was the first black male photographer to shoot the cover of British Vogue, said: “We are living in a time of self-reflection. And the camera is a vehicle of truth, whatever that might be.
“At the moment, it might be burnt toast, or frozen water on the window. The camera will bring the truth to you. And you can then capture it.”
He added: “There is a quote that I love by Robert Frank. ‘The eye should learn to listen before it looks.’ I think that is apt for this competition. You should let your camera rule with its lens. Good luck.”
As well as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harriman, 43, has photographed celebrities including Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett and Rihanna.
His recent work includes a series in the first lockdown called Lost in Isolation, photographs from last year’s Black Lives Matter protests in London and the fold-out cover of British Vogue’s September issue, themed around activism and featuring model Adwoa Aboah and footballer Marcus Rashford.
Harriman joins British photographer and collector Martin Parr on the judging panel. Bristol-based Parr, who is best known for work that takes an anthropological look at modern life in England, has published nearly 50 books. Further judges will be announced shortly.
Any reader, of any age, can submit an entry to the competition. We just ask that if you are a professional photographer, you declare it.
The winners will be published in a special edition of ES Magazine after lockdown ends and displayed in a public exhibition in the autumn.