Michael Powell Photographer

I was just heading home from a day in the studio when my old employer The Times Picture Desk called asking if I could do a job immediately in Louth, a town about 15 miles away. Just one problem, no details yet of who, where and when and the picture was for the next day’s edition. Parked up in Louth and rang the desk back to find out who was my subject. The story was about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s realisation that the Church of England had a financial interest in the payday loan firm Wonga. The person I was to photograph helped establish a church-backed community bank but now couldn’t be contacted. The desk told me “The person is called Peta Hill”. “I know Peta Hill” I replied. “You are kidding!” came the reply. I found the desk’s astonishment quite funny. The idea of knowing a seemingly random member of the public is a bit strange to Londoners but having been a Lincolnshire photographer for many years now it’s perfectly normal. Peta was my daughter’s teaching assistant for many years in the village primary school and her daughter used to babysit for us. A couple of calls and she delayed her weekend trip away to pose. I had just left much of my lighting in the studio so was working with very little gear. The shot used was a Speedlite fired remotely through a translucent brolly set to match the projected light on the wall from a stained glass window. Peta had to stand on a chair for it to work. It helps to know people…..