Shooting Jimmy McGovern
Some portraits don’t just capture a face; they capture a legacy. My recent session with Jimmy McGovern, one of Britain’s most celebrated screenwriters, was one of those occasions.
A Bit of Background
Jimmy McGovern is a writer whose work has shaped British television for decades. From Cracker to Broken, his scripts have explored the human condition with honesty, grit, and an unflinching sense of reality. He’s won countless awards, but more importantly, he’s earned the reputation of a storyteller who gives voice to those often unheard. Photographing Jimmy meant creating portraits that carried the same weight — thoughtful, direct, and unmistakably authentic.
As a portrait photographer working across Manchester, Liverpool, and London, these are exactly the kind of commissions I thrive on — bringing together personality, environment, and light to create powerful editorial images.
The Setting – The Kitchen
The first part of the session took place in Jimmy’s kitchen. Domestic spaces often reveal more about a subject than a studio ever could, but they also bring challenges. My approach is always to adapt, to create a studio environment wherever I’m given the space. Here, a black cloth backdrop turned the kitchen into something timeless, a neutral stage that allowed Jimmy’s presence to dominate.
For lighting, I used a gridded Octa to the left of camera — directional, sculpting light that gave definition and strength. To soften the contrast and bring in detail, I added a second Octa overhead, just above camera for fill. The result was a portrait that felt dramatic yet personal, like a scene caught between the everyday and the cinematic.
This kind of editorial portrait photography shows how the right lighting setup can elevate even the simplest location into something striking.
The Second Portrait – The Office
The mood shifted when we moved into Jimmy’s office. Here, I wanted the portraits to tell a different story: not just the man, but the legacy. The walls were lined with awards and reminders of his career, subtle cues that spoke to his decades of success. Rather than hiding them, I leaned into that context — using the space to frame Jimmy as both writer and cultural figure.
The lighting followed suit: brighter, more open, a higher-key approach that carried a sense of clarity and reflection. Where the kitchen portraits were about intimacy and weight, the office portraits were about perspective and achievement.
This combination of settings meant the shoot worked both as commercial portraiture and as an editorial feature, giving the client a range of looks that reflect Jimmy’s influence and reputation.
The Result
Together, the two portraits form a complete picture. In the kitchen, Jimmy is lit with drama and focus — the craftsman at work. In the office, the wider view shows the fruits of that craft — the recognition, the respect, the permanence of his words.
These sessions are why I love working as a professional portrait photographer in the North West and beyond. It’s not just about capturing likeness, but about reading the environment, shaping the light, and creating images that tell a story.