Original Observer Photography: November

South Korean pop flavour of the month Psy photographed at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
Katherine Rose: 'The room I shot Psy in where he taught Jay Rayner to dance Gangnam style had hundreds of crystals on hooks lining the ceiling. Everywhere I went they were tinkling. It was hard to negotiate the space with my lights up, trying to be careful not to knock these crystals down. Hotels are always problematic for shooting in. Once Psy showed up he was fantastic, he did everything I asked of him without hesitation. You always know when you're working with a pro. Having our own private pony dance was totally worth it too!'
Photograph: Katherine Rose for the Observer

Nicola Beauman, with her hired 1957 Morris Traveller outside Broadward Hall, Clungunford, Shropshire during a Persephone Books tour of the West Country.
Harry Borden: 'She needed to be coaxed into starting and there was the perpetual danger of flooding the engine. She brought back memories of driving to Exeter City FC home matches with Kenny, Mark & James. I was dating their sister Rosa. Happy times!' Photograph: Harry Borden for the Observer

The Fijian scrum during the autumn rugby union international against England at Twickenham Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer

Actor Oona Chaplin photographed in London. She is currently in the BBC series The Hour.
Antonio Olmos: 'Knowing Oona Chaplin was the great granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin was a little intimidating. But she breezed into the room and was a real natural in front of the camera. She is very beautiful and as they say, the camera loves her. The hard part was the environment, a boring room in her PR's office. I prefer doing portraits in the subject's own environment. Still having said that, Chaplin was so at ease with the camera that she made it very easy for me' Photograph: Antonio Olmos for the Observer

Yuja Wang, the pianist with the fastest fingers in the world, shot for a series on superhumans.
Neil Wilder: 'It's not every day that I have youth, beauty, elegance, sexiness, sophistication and superhuman talent in front of my camera … although I'd like to wish it was. This was my lucky day shooting Yuja Wang at the nearly 100-year-old Steinway Hall in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Although serious about her art, Yuja was fun and playful with billowing dress in a magical setting. For one shot, Yuja had no qualms climbing on the top of the $100,000 Steinway, stripping down and covering herself with sheet music. A fun day thanks to Yuja, Steinway Hall and my amazing team' Photograph: Neil Wilder for the Observer

Yuja Wang. Shot for a series on superhumans Photograph: Neil Wilder for the Observer

Freediver Tom Sietas, shot for a series on superhumans. Sietas can hold his breath for a world-record 22 minutes and 22 seconds.
Robert Eikelpoth: 'I photographed him at night in a swimming complex in Norderstedt near Hamburg, where they let us in after closing time. My initial idea was to have Tom upside down underwater as if he were standing on the water's surface from below. It didn't work because of the water's distortion but it was amazing to see how it didn't even bother him not to be able to breathe down there. It was as if he had an invisible oxygen bottle hidden away somewhere' Photograph: Robert Eikelpoth for the Observer

Hungarian Judit Polgar, the greatest female chess player of all time. Shot for a series on superhumans.
Phil Fisk: 'Judit was happy to imagine herself in this non-existent landscape where grandmaster chess meets Tron' Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

Bomber jackets fashion shoot in Palm Springs Photograph: Heather Favell for the Observer

Film director Michael Haneke photographed in London to accompany an interview for his new film Amour.
Phil Fisk: 'Directors are always hard to photograph as they like to be in control and Haneke's films suggested to me that he would be more daunting than most. After the first two frames he asked to see one of the images and declared I had made him look 10 years older but surprisingly he just laughed and carried on sitting with no complaints' Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

Laura Mvula photographed in Camley Street Natural Park, King's Cross, London.
Katherine Rose: 'Even though I carried a ton of lights through this nature park for this shoot, she looked so beautiful in the setting that I just ended up using natural light. We waited for the sun to come out between the clouds. She was very patient. I enjoy the quiet moments in shooting, waiting for everything just to fall into place for the right shot' Photograph: Katherine Rose for the Observer

Actor Ralph Fiennes photographed, after being interviewed in the Chapel of St Barnabas , Soho, London.
Suki Dhanda: 'I was pleasantly surprised when he just turned up and introduced himself, a warm and friendly guy, interested in the location we were setting up in. When he was ready to be photographed he went into another zone, serious and intense, just like in his films' Photograph: Suki Dhanda for the Observer

Actor Ruth Negga photographed at RIBA, Portland Place, London.
Gary Calton: 'I like to keep my portraits simple in design. So one beautiful woman, one reflector, one camera and a simple and pared down colour scheme equals a lovely set of portraits' Photograph: Gary Calton for the Observer

Ruth Negga Photograph: Gary Calton for the Observer

Australian try-scorer Nick Cummins runs into a tackle from England's Alex Goode during the autumn rugby union international between England and Australia at Twickenham Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer

Still Life of an enamel ladle set, shot for Observer Food Monthly's gift guide Photograph: Louisa Parry for the Observer

Still Life of steak knives, shot for Observer Food Monthly's gift guide Photograph: Louisa Parry for the Observer

Still Life of lobster crackers, shot for Observer Food Monthly's gift guide Photograph: Louisa Parry for the Observer

Roger McGough at his home in London on the occasion of the release of his latest book of poetry As Far As I Know.
Pal Hansen: 'Everybody wants to be a poet, so it was with great pleasure I met and photographed Roger McGough, one of England's best. He's one of those men that has lived a life as a creative and wears it on his sleeve. At the age of 75 he has still got a piercing gaze and is as cool as they come. His house is filled with art including a couple of portraits of him and I decided to include an early one of him in the shot. During the shoot we found out that I had photographed his son for a music magazine a while back. He knew the picture I had taken and said that now he will finally be recognised by his son as he has now been photographed by me too' Photograph: Pal Hansen for the Observer

Actor Cush Jumbo who is about to star in an all-female cast Julius Caesar at the Donmar Warehouse.
Karen Robinson: 'The BBC Production Unit space the cast were rehearsing in was a very dismal affair indeed. Thank goodness for the Designers Guild warehouse showroom next door that let me in to photograph Cush' Photograph: Karen Robinson for the Observer

Palma Violets rock The Forum, a small music venue in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Katherine Rose: 'I had been at the venue all day, and the Palma Violets didn't go on stage until just before the last train back to London. They were so full of energy, and I wanted to stay longer as I'm sure their set would have got increasingly wild, but luckily they put on a good show from the outset' Photograph: Katherine Rose for the Observer

Retired rugby player Gareth Thomas photographed at the W Hotel in London.
Suki Dhanda: 'I began the shoot with him sitting on a leather sofa in the hotel bar. We got talking about his tattoos so I asked if I could have a look at them. He didn't hesitate, just took his T-shirt off. That's when the composition started to look interesting, it was about him and not the sofa he was sitting on' Photograph: Suki Dhanda for the Observer

French chef Claude Bosi who currently holds two Michelin stars at his restaurant Hibiscus in London.
Phil Fisk: 'Bosi was a treat - enormous fun and the turkey was a true professional. I would happily work with them both again soon' Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

Daniel Tammet, award-winning writer and high-functioning autistic savant. Photographed in Paris for a series on superhumans.
Patrick Swirc: 'Daniel talks seven or eight languages, and I asked him his secret. He advised me to read his book …' Then we took some pictures.....' Photograph: Patrick Swirc for the Observer

Furniture designer and artist Gitta Gaschwendtner, photographed at the Victoria and Albert Museum's new Furniture Gallery in London Photograph: Antonio Olmos for the Observer

Springbok Willem Alberts scores the only try of the game despite tackles from Ben Morgan and Joe Launchbury during the autumn rugby union international between England and South Africa at Twickenham Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer

Simon Russell Beale photographed at the Jerwood Space, London before being interviewed for the Observer New Review Photograph: Karen Robinson for the Observer

The Countess of Wemyss and March, Amanda Fielding, at her home in Beckley, Oxfordshire, from where she campaigns to change drug policy across the world Photograph: Karen Robinson for the Observer

Australian novelist, playwright and author Thomas Keneally photographed at the Durrants Hotel in central London for an interview in the Observer Magazine.
Richard Saker: 'Throughout the shoot we talked cricket and rugby league. As a proud Australian man he was particularly perturbed that the ashes now resided with the English' Photograph: Richard Saker for the Observer

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood of The Great British Bake Off fame shared their Christmas baking recipes with Observer Food Monthly. Photograph: Pal Hansen for the Observer