Sam Barker Photo

24/10/2023

I was working in the Philippines on an NGO shoot and travelling back I was passing through the great city of Manila .
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity too try to shoot something there so I got my research hat on and with the help of .manila came across the story of the Golden G**s of Manila a group of elderly Drag Queens who live together and have created a support network for one another. I met them at there house in Old town Manila and talked through some directions for the imagery , we decided to shoot in there favourite local haunts. I wanted to create scenes with some story telling within them informing the narrative of there story. Here are the Queens of Manila! and a little bit more about them and the idea behind the photographs ...
The Golden G**s' roots trace back to 1970 when Justo Juno, a Manila City lawmaker and AIDS activist,established a shelter for marginalized gay men living on the streets of Manila, rejected by their families and society. This shelter evolved into a haven that encouraged residents to embrace their gender identities freely. It wasn't until 2018 that the group managed to secure a small house in Manila, offering a newfound sense of security and unity.
Despite their vibrant presence in the local community, the Golden G**s face many challenges in terms of societal acceptance and financial sustainability. They navigate life without traditional family support, relying on their collective resilience and resourcefulness to sustain themselves. Their mission, as described by LolaMon, centres on providing sanctuary, shelter, and support for indigent elderly gay men.
Within the photographs "I wanted to capture the strength and dignity this extraordinary group of people operates with." These scenes were shot over two nights in Manila, set against the Golden G**s’ favourite neighbourhoods in old town Manila. I hope the photographs capture the groups vibrant existence and their unwavering camaraderie and individuality and serve as a reminder of the enduring spirit found within communities that celebrate unity and self-acceptance, even in the face of adversity.

11/10/2023

So here’s a thing yesterday Kate and I were wandering around antique shops around Holt, when we spotted a portrait that we loved. It was lent up on a shelf in a busy part of the shop. I then realised it was the same style as an artist I knew called Richard Williams. I didn’t have my glasses but I recognised the palette from a brilliant series he painted of dark clowns. I then picked up the painting and on closer inspection realised that it wasn’t from that series but was a portrait of my father, the poet George Barker. I remember as a kid Richard and my Dad spending many a night drinking round the kitchen table. Feel incredible to have found this and I’ll treasure it.

04/10/2023

03/10/2023

The last race day for the cycling icon , 3 World championships,121 race victories and 7 Green Jerseys at the . Wow What an incredible career . I was lucky enough to shoot Peters portrait a few times my favourite being for his book cover Sagan my world, what a character and what an athlete . Hats off Peter Sagan.

22/09/2023

Shot earlier this year from a helicopter with some aerial shots of the wonderful city of CapeTown . The constantly changing light unveiling tapestry’s of texture , colours and contours. What a brilliant city this is from absolutely every angle !

12/09/2023

I was commissioned by a US agency to create cinematic scenes in New York, transforming everyday environments like the subway and a New Jersey diner into atmospheric settings where men of a certain age are locked in thought. Working closely with the Art directors to bring their vision to life, This project involved myself and my production team at Leah Mara and CRXSS to embark on an extensive casting process, thorough location scouting, and the creation of large elaborate lighting setups to create the desired atmosphere. We ended up finding a great diner in New Jersey and used a subway car in the incredible New York Transit Museum that has a car from every decade since the start of the subway there. It was a great project to shoot, combining story telling, styling and, creative and technical lighting to bring these scenes to life captivatingly.

11/09/2023

Afiya , makes the best fried fish in Kibera . Nairobe street portrait vendor in

29/08/2023

A few years ago I was commissioned by Landrover to go into the Darien Gap with a writer and go and retrace the steps of the famous adventure by John Blashford Snell who had taken an expedition through the Gap and search for the Embera tribe to find out what their thoughts on the Pan American Highway if it was ever completed were. Myself,Zac the writer 2 guides with 2 mules and Sherpas started off at the frontier town of Yaviza .We then set off on a journey cutting through the forest , onto small dugout canoes and mainly on foot on a 10 day expedition . The Gap is one of the most inhospitable places on the planet —Its a mountainous jungle and swamp filled with armed guerillas, drug traffickers, and some of the world’s most deadly creatures covering the border of Panama and Colombia. It was the beginning of the rainy season as we set off but the rain didn’t come , instead we had the most humid environment I have ever encountered , we slept in tents on the dry riverbeds , I was woken each morning by the shreik of howler monkeys or sometimes croaking of bullfrogs as big as footballs. We had to drag boats up camen infested rivers with too little water in them ,to climbing up waterfalls, hacking through dense jungle, avoiding bogs and crazy spiked trees and bushes not to mention avoiding the infamous FARC death squads.. ending up with us eventually finding the Embera tribe. The Embera tribe had replaced the indigenous Kuna tribe as the inhabitants in the heart of the Darien, They drove the Kuna who were there before them out to the edges of the jungle using blowpipes, they were a much more aggressive tribe . On our first night there we soon discovered we would have to change tac on the article as the PAH meant absolutely nothing to them. We spent 2 nights with the tribe , on our last night the Shamen of the tribe gave us a blessing for our journey out of the jungle and warded off the spirit of a giant catfish who was apparently taking children from the river….. A commission to remember …

29/08/2023

A few years ago I was commissioned by Landrover to go into the Darien Gap with a writer and go and retrace the steps of the famous adventure by John Blashford Snell who had taken an expedition through the Gap and search for the Embera tribe to find out what their thoughts on the Pan American Highway if it was ever completed were. Myself,Zac the writer 2 guides with 2 mules and Sherpas started off at the frontier town of Yaviza .We then set off on a journey cutting through the forest , then onto small dugout canoes , and mainly on foot on a 10 day expedition . The Gap is one of the most inhospitable places on the planet —Its a mountainous jungle and swamp filled with armed guerillas, drug traffickers, and some of the world’s most deadly creatures covering the border of Panama and Colombia. It was the beginning of the rainy season as we set off but the rain didn’t come , instead we had the most humid environment I have ever encountered , we slept in tents in the dry riverbeds , I was woken each morning by the shreik of howler monkeys or sometimes croaking of bullfrogs as big as footballs. We had to drag boats up camen infested rivers with too little water in them ,to climbing up waterfalls, hacking through dense jungle, avoiding bogs and crazy spiked trees and bushes not to mention avoiding the infamous FARC death squads.. ending up with us eventually finding the Embera tribe. The Embera tribe had replaced the indigenous Kuna tribe as the inhabitants in the heart of the Darien, They drove the Kuna who were there before them out to the edges of the jungle using blowpipes, they were a much more aggressive tribe . On our first night there we soon discovered we would have to change tac on the article as the PAH meant absolutely nothing to them. We spent 2 nights with the tribe , on our last night the Shamen of the tribe gave us a blessing for our journey out of the jungle and warded off the spirit of a giant catfish who was apparently taking children from the river….. A commission to remember …

29/08/2023

433 signatures are needed, let’s get there by the end of the day?

29/08/2023

Dylan Johnstone Tottenham 2023 . Using subtle bounce in shade .

14/08/2023

Imagery and words from a day spent with the amazing volunteer Zoe Rothera at the Lifeboat station in North East Scotland …. “It’s impossible to explain the adrenaline rush when your pager goes off,” says Zoe, now into her fourth year as an RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) volunteer. “You just drop whatever you’re doing, dash for the station, get your gear on and launch the boat onto the water. No matter the weather or the state of the sea, if someone’s in trouble out there you don’t hang around. One day I might need help myself – and I’d like to think that a stranger would do their best for me.”For Zoe, that means leaving her job in a care home as quickly and as safely as she can and driving the few miles to Wick Lifeboat Station in the far north of Scotland. Operating an all-weather Trent class lifeboat, it’s a busy station where crew members have been recognised 11 times by the RNLI for their lifesaving achievements. These volunteers risk there lives and give there time every day … incredible people .

03/08/2023

Key art out for the new grisly drama great to work with the great team on a very hot day down in Wales.

11/07/2023

My second piece of work to make the the Finals of the Association of Photographers AOP awards this year is in the single portrait series, my portrait of the young boxer Martin Ndaawa from the Undugo boxing club in the heart the Kibera slum which is Africa's largest . It is one of the fastest growing boxing clubs in Africa. Martin is a brilliant young boxer who is extremely disciplined in really tough circumstances, his role model is

11/07/2023

Very pleased to have 2 pieces of work both from my Nairobe series make the Finals of the Association of Photographers AOP awards this year. This collection for Portrait Series my "The Waste Pickers of Dandora” series has made the final. These were shot at the infamous Dandora Waste site Nairobe which is also Africas largest dump site .

08/07/2023

Born to run

25/06/2023

Astro photography … something I didn’t really know much about at all, but a beautiful night sky lit by stars incorporating parts of the Milky Way and a huge vista were a part of a recent commission I was set so after a lot of reading up and watching tutorials I know a lot more now.
Here are some of my outtakes, I had to find a dark light area on a new moon within driving distance of my location in so we headed to the farmland flats around 80 km north of the city where we drove down farm tracks looking for likely vistas. Although once I started shooting and exposing for 30 seconds the camera would pick up light unseen by the naked eye from a far off road or farmhouse . We spent a couple of night shooting and searching for the darkest areas . It was a magical , these images have small amounts of light pollution however I feel it really helps ground the night skys and for me adds more atmosphere and beauty into the image.

22/06/2023

Screens up for immersive film I’ve made with ceilings and floors in next !

17/06/2023

The exceptional Daniel Lismore shot in Claridges for the Maybourne group.
Daniel is a creative in many mediums, including art, design, fashion and publishing. He is also a seasoned campaigner for many good causes including Greenpeace.
His book “Be yourself, Everyone Else is Taken” documents Daniel’s spectacular sculptural ensembles. Daniel is truly a living work of art.
It was a really joyful experience photographing Daniel, seeing him come down the great staircase in another spectacular outfit was so inspiring. He was constantly evolving his creations to work with my lighting and compositions.
A wonderful collaborative experience.

07/06/2023

The amazing Appleby Fair is coming up this weekend, an incredible event which is often maligned and miss reported .Up to 40,000 people visit over a weekend of horse trading and celebration, Here is some of my shots from my trip a couple of summers ago . We stayed with my old friend Barney. up on Fair Hill. An evening listening to Gypsy folklore stories and songs played amongst the flicker of firelight. Meeting lots of families who are part of the fabric of the fair. An incredible event and such a tonic to still have festivals like this in Britain. Get yourself there if you have the chance …

20/05/2023

Absolutely brilliant night thanks to for an unforgettable night in the 👿

10/05/2023

When I am away shooting commercially after the shoot is finished I often stay on for a day or two to shoot something or someone that I have heard about during my time at the location.
It was on a recent shoot in Cape Town that I heard about a character called Les Boshoff. Les is the owner and man behind the the amazing Winjands car museum on the outskirts of Cape Town.
“I retired from the real estate business when I was 55. I then decided I wanted to indulge my hobby by restoring old cars. The first car I bought to restore was a 1930s Hudson Terraplane,” Boshoff motions towards a shed nearby. Thirty years later it still sits untouched. Les is a wonderfulcharachter and we spent a couple of hours with him chatting and shooting a set of portraits . As Les supplies cars to the film industry I thought it fitting to shoot a cinematic set up full of atmosphere and drama.

29/04/2023

Enjoying a peaceful meander through the olive groves ofe Ermioni then came across this chap having an all together different experience…

24/04/2023

Wandering around the fishing port in Philippines I noticed this great fishing boat full of hammocks , dogs, chickens and fishermen straight from central casting. I approached the boat and kind of waved and asked to come aboard. They beckoned me over, it was then I noticed the gangplank . A series of rusty iron rods about 10 inches apart and 2 feet across. About 8 feet long ,I was committed by then so with my camera backpack on I very tentatively wobbled and lurched across much to the amusement of the howling pirate like crew. Once on board I spent a very enjoyable 20 mins shooting the crew having breakfast and chilling out before they were heading out to sea again . I took my last shot then realised I had to cross that sodding gangplank again …

06/04/2023

5am .The road to Hermanos .

04/04/2023

A quick of last weeks shoot in , a great production team from .manila made it a very memorable shoot . Looking forward to showing the fruits of our labour in the near future.

30/03/2023