Noel Fielding: “This is from the yeti episode in the second series. We were poking our heads through holes in the wall and kneeling on crates to get up high enough. Julian pointed out that if the crates gave way we would probably break our necks, so we all look slightly worried. This would make a great album cover for a three-piece. The only problem with Dave [Brown] being the Boosh photographer is that there weren’t many shots of Bollo. Quite often, Dave would be dressed as Bollo while taking photos - always made me laugh having a gorilla taking photos. Looking back now, I realise it was perfect.” Photograph: Dave Brown
Noel Fielding: “This photo really captures the essence of [Fielding and Barratt’s alter egos] Howard and Vince. Howard is just hanging there, dejected, in his jumbo cords, and Vince is absolutely loving it, like some kind of human butterfly. It was the scene in the third series where we kiss on the roof and fall off on to the bouncy castle. It was such a bonus to have a great photographer who was in the show. Usually, photographers come down to the set once or twice and they don’t always know the show, but Dave was a part of it from the beginning.” Photograph: Dave Brown
Noel Fielding: “I love colour, but black-and-white photos often have a classic feel to them. My brother Mike [aka Naboo] looks like Freddie Mercury. I love the way the type in the background is perfectly spaced just above my hat with the word ‘wonderland’. Dave has such a graphic eye so he loves using typography in his shots. The mad hatter looks like Julian, which I love. I feel a little sad when I see the date and realise this was five years ago. Blackpool was a freaky place out of season. I remember the crowd being crazy at the gig and Julian saying, ‘Good night, Liverpool’ at the end of the show.” Photograph: Dave Brown
Noel Fielding: “There he is, Tony Harrison in the window. I love the colours in this shot and the joy captured in Tony’s face. I think I had popped down to the office to surprise [comedy producer Baby Cow’s head of talent] Lindsay Hughes, ‘cause Tony was her favourite character. And Dave just happened to be in the office at the same time. So I was probably trying to make Lindsay and [Baby Cow producer/director] Dave Lambert and Henry Normal laugh. It has a bit of a puppet show/Punch and Judy feel about it, I think.” Photograph: Dave Brown
Noel Fielding: “I love this photo. Dave quite often uses mirrors in his shots. The composition is stunning. This is backstage somewhere at a gig. No matter how posh the venue is, the dressing rooms are always awful. So on a 100-date tour you tend to forget where you are and things can get a bit gloomy, which is why you need a Rich Fulcher [a Mighty Boosh collaborator] bursting in and out of rooms like an insane energy bomb. I have no idea what I am doing here – my best Keef Richard impression by the looks of it. I love that there is a small painting of Julian in the corner on its side observing the scene like a grand monk.” Photograph: Dave Brown
Noel Fielding: "I really like this shot of Julian, and Mike looks pretty sexy with his Lolita lollipop. Not sure what I’m doing – I look like I’m glued to the back wall. I was going through my 'trying to look like Joan Jett' phase. Dave takes great portraits, especially in black and white. I don’t know how but he’s managed to make us look pretty cool here. I think we used a shot from this session for our first tour poster, which I always loved. Dave has provided us with so many great images and designs over the years; it was so great to have his eyes on hand. Have you noticed that a lot of photographers have very beautiful eyes?” Photograph: Dave Brown
Julian Barratt: "Dave Brown is a lens with legs. Ever since I have known him, he has had a camera strapped to his face. Which is a shame because it hides his deeply erotic blue eyes. They can unnerve a man at 40 yards and have literally rendered women unconscious. Those crystal peepers are tireless in their quest for the magic subject and luckily that magic is never far away with a nose like mine. A photographer's dream. The shot where I'm looking at the sign that reads: 'It's Friday and you are in Blackpool' was taken while on tour with the Boosh. The note had been put on the mirror by the incomparable Sean Richards, our brilliantly dead pan tour manager, to remind me where I was. Why?" Photograph: Dave Brown
Dave Brown: "I always love catching those moments when cast members playing very visual characters are off set relaxing or going about their business, almost unaware of how insane they look. I have many a shot like this. A bright pink, bald, part Noel, part Tony Harrison in the lunch queue asking a very po-faced caterer for lasagne, or the Spirit of Jazz taking an important phone call from Noel's mum. This shot of Julian as one of the more terrifying of his and Noel's creations, the Crack Fox, was after a particularly long day shooting, and like many of the costumes we've all worn over the years this was suitably uncomfortable and painful. The clothes, wigs, makeup, prosthetics, contact lenses under hot lights for many an hour all to create comedy, oh the irony. Julian's face sums it all up here: [in Crack Fox voice] 'Get that picture box out of my freakin' face before I put you in a little dress and hurt you bad.'" Photograph: Dave Brown
Dave Brown: "This sequence of shots was taken during filming of the third series episode 'The Power of the Crimp' in 2007. A throwaway line in the show turns into a reality during the episode end credits. One of my favourite episodes, starring the hilarious Tom Meeten and Simon Farnaby. This episode addresses a very important modern day issue, the harsh and painful reality of identity theft! And how better to deal with this issue than to film two nincompoops running around in their vests and pants throwing satsumas at each other? Like many of my favourite shots from the show I can remember creasing up with laughter behind the camera as I clicked away. A big fake snow machine pumping out slippery flakes in a freezing cold studio while Noel and Julian, wearing next to nothing, run around in very inappropriate footwear trying not to slip up or slip out! Thankfully they achieved this and the only satsumas on show are orange and fruity." Photograph: Dave Brown
Dave Brown: "This shot was taken at 3 Mill Studios during rehearsals for The Boosh Festival in 2008. For me it sums up the love and care we all (especially Noel) have for these strange beasts. Charlie was a character who first appeared in Series 1 back in 2004. He's a character from a children's book written by Vince and is made entirely of bubblegum – he's a hubba-bubba nightmare! I love how carefully and lovingly Noel is unwrapping him, quite appropriately, from a load of bubblewrap, after four years in the deep isolation of prop storage! Judging by the look on Charlie's face, it didn't agree with him." Photograph: Dave Brown
