From Johnny Cash and Pink Floyd to Mark Ronson and Wildwood Kin, Guardian photographer Andy Earl has captured some incredible moments. He shares some of his favourites, and why he’s chosen them.
“Johnny Cash initially looked like a preacher, dressed in black with the storm clouds and the wheat field,” Andy says. “It enhances that spiritual feel. The dogs happened to be there and they ran into shot for two frames. This made the sleeve of his 1994 album American Recordings.”
“Meghaan Loney, drummer for family trio Wildwood Kin, was photographed by me for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) campaign, which is raising awareness of male suicide and fighting for improved access to help. Meghaan had lost her brother to suicide earlier that year, and she told me that her hair being tangled across her face captured how she felt inside.”
“This is Pink Floyd’s album cover for Delicate Sound of Thunder - their first live album, recorded over five night in New York. This is one of my favourites, and I worked on it with Hipgnosis, which was an English art design group based in London. This picture really captures a surreal moment that defines their music and album.”
“This photograph of musician Frank Turner was also part of a series of portraits for CALM to raise awareness for men’s mental health issues. Each musician recorded their go-to song and I photographed them all with the ‘Torchsong’ circular light, without retouching. His lip tattoo reads ‘Thirsty’.”
“Mark Ronson is an extremely talented musician and producer. I wanted a casual portrait that captured his quiet, thoughtful mood. He was really cool and I love the gentleness of this portrait.”
Andy Earl will be running a photography masterclass with Guardian photographer Kevin Rushby, on Saturday 14 July.
