Original Observer Photography: December

Uggie, star of The Artist, shot at The Arch Hotel, London for the Observer's Faces of 2012 feature.
Suki Dhanda: 'My main purpose was to capture a portrait of Uggie like I would with a person and not just a shot of a dog. We set up a small studio in Uggie's hotel room, it helped his trainer, Omar, was at hand and got him to raise his body upright. Obviously Uggie was a total pro, no complaints he's been in the film business for 11 years and now semi-retired...he's definitely not living a dogs life! Photograph: Suki Dhanda for the Observer

Mary Anne Hobbs Radio 1 and XFM DJ at the Lexington pub in London for an interview with Kitty Empire.
Katherine Rose: 'Mary Anne was so thrilled to be photographed for the Observer. It is really fantastic (and fairly rare) to shoot a subject who enjoys being photographed' Photograph: Katherine Rose for the Observer

Writer and the King of Graphic Novels, Alan Moore, photographed and interviewed in his home town of Northampton.
Phil Fisk: 'I would love to take credit for this photograph but the credit should really go to the beard, which is even more magnificent in real life, although I did know the wind would help' Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

Alan Moore photographed and interviewed in Northampton Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

Actor David Harewood, MBE, photographed at his local pub near his home in Streatham, south west London for the Observer's Faces of 2012 feature Photograph: Richard Saker for the Observer

Dejected All Black Ma'a Nonu walks off after New Zealand's 38-21 defeat by England at Twickenham. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer

Sienna Miller meets Tippi Hedren for a shoot to accompany an interview prior to the release of The Girl in which Sienna plays Tippi.
Julian Broad: 'With the talents of brilliant florist Ellie Jauncey, we managed to create a forest in my small studio ( the narrative is still not clear but it looks rather lovely). Tippi and Sienna both gorgeous as always, slip in a couple of pink flamingos ....job done!' Photograph: Julian Broad for the Observer

Sienna Miller and Tippi Hedren.
Set design: The Flower Appreciation Society
Makeup: Lucia Pica @ Art Partner using Skinceutical
Hair: Oliver Woods at onemakeup.com using Kiehl's Photograph: Julian Broad for the Observer

Actor and Pub landlord, Ian McKellen shot and interviewed at his hostelry, The Grapes, in Limehouse, London.
Pal Hansen: 'I expected a classic gentleman to turn up in a suit and tie but he wore a blazer and trousers and a Koru pendant from New Zeland instead of a tie. A sign of a man comfortable in his own skin' Photograph: Pal Hansen for the Observer

The band Amore were famously soaked while performing on a boat on the Thames during the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. Victoria Gray, Thomas Blunt and David Webb were photographed for the Observer's Faces of 2012 feature.
Suki Dhanda: 'I think the location at the Wilton's Music Hall in East London and the way it was lit produced a more interesting shot, creating some atmosphere. I got them singing and playing the piano on a Monday morning, a nice way to start a week' Photograph: Suki Dhanda for the Observer

DJ Nick Grimshaw photographed in Goodge Street, Central London for the Observer's Faces of 2012 feature.
Richard Saker: 'I shot this at his agent's offices which were very dull and uninspiring. However a small, enclosed. oppressive (it resembled a prison yard) courtyard at the rear of the building worked well for the pics . Taken in-between the raindrops' Photograph: Richard Saker for the Observer

Observer Fashion Editor Jo Jones: 'The fashion team love a challenge, the Christmas gold and white fashion shoot took us 430 miles by car to the amazing Landmark trust location of the Dunmore Pineapple a spectacular folly in Scotland' Photograph: Chloe Mallett for the Observer

Jo Jones: 'Chloe never fails to make the greyest day look serenely beautiful, creating an ethereal light while in reality Scotland was waterlogged and overcast. We knew our luck would hold when a stunning double rainbow appeared mid shoot' Photograph: Chloe Mallett for the Observer

Christmas gold and white fashion at the Dunmore Pineapple Photograph: Chloe Mallett for the Observer

Local theatre actors photographed at Boxmoor Playhouse in Hemel Hemptead, Hertfordshire for an article on the rise of amateur dramatics.
Richard Saker: 'All the people in this shoot had taken time out of their evening to help create an image so I was most grateful to them. It was great fun and there was a lot of laughter throughout, the panto horse was a big bonus' Photograph: Richard Saker for the Observer

Rachel Khoo taste-tested festive chocolates for Observer Food Monthly
Pal Hansen: 'We tried chocolate earrings and her biting a bar but decided that Rachel's classic beauty carries that chocolate moustache look no problem' Photograph: Pal Hansen for the Observer

Marina Poplavskaya as Alice in 'Robert Le Diable' by Giacomo Meyerbeer at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Photograph: Neil Libbert for the Observer

Nate Lanxon.
Suki Dhanda: 'Nate is the editor of Wired Magazine, he was wearing brainwave cat ears, this would definitely make an interesting present, it can read your brain activity. I think I could do with one! The feature was all about gizmos chosen by staff from Wired magazine, so I wanted the overall image to be bright sparky clean' Photograph: Suki Dhanda for the Observer

Polly Toynbee joins Protesters at the Conduit Street branch of Starbucks occupying and protesting against Starbucks coorporate tax policies. The protest was directed by UK Uncut which campaigns for coorporate tax compliance Photograph: Antonio Olmos for the Observer

Japanese video and photographic artist, Mariko Mori, photographed at the Royal Academy.
Antonio Olmos: 'I knew Mariko was a former model but she was luminous and radiated serenity. She hardly spoke during the photo session but I found her a joy to photograph. She seemed like a human reflection of her own art' Photograph: Antonio Olmos for the Observer

Not strictly for the Observer, but for our sister the Guardian. Such a great self-portrait by our photographer Katherine Rose that we thought we'd include it here. Katherine was shooting Christmas dinner at the Ritz Hotel for a feature for Guardian Weekend Photograph: Katherine Rose for the Guardian

Tamara Rojo, Prima Ballerina and newly appointed art director of the English National Ballet for an interview in the Observer Magazine. The signatures on the wall are by those that have left the company.
Katherine Rose: 'It was such a thrill to be amongst ballerinas and ballerinos rehearsing at the ENB for Tamara's photoshoot. It gives an insight into all the happenings in this amazing city at any one time. I found the experience and Tamara really inspiring' Photograph: Katherine Rose for the Observer

Sheridan Smith shot at Holborn Studios in London. Smith practices her best fairy moves in preparation for her six-month run as Titania in Michael Grandage's A Midsummer Night's Dream opposite David Walliams
Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

Sheridan Smith, shot at Holborn Studio, is also in Dustin Hoffman's movie Quartet released on New Years Day and she tells Megan Conner all about her life so far in the Observer Magazine Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

James Gleick, Lone Frank, Steven Pinker, Joshua Foer and Brian Greene for an article on science writing.
Suki Dhanda: 'This was shot in the Library room at the Royal Society. There were a few people studying while we were trying to set up, it was very quiet. We had to move some tables and, as I wanted a high light source, with the help of my assistant, we set up a very large light on a boom trying not to make any noise or break anything. The librarian was not amused. As in a lot of cases I had 15 mins to shoot and so was on auto-pilot giving precise directions to each person on where they would stand and what to do, obviously the shot was to look like they were positioned there naturally, just chatting to each other and I just happened to turn up and take there picture' Photograph: Suki Dhanda for the Observer

The Observer picture desk and photographers hope your Christmas was a success and wish you a Happy New Year Photograph: Gary Salter for the Observer