Mitch Jenkins is a rare thing within the ranks of acclaimed commercial photographers, an entirely self-taught entity. Not for him the established routes of a college course or the assisting of an established name and learning on the job. Mitch first picked up a camera because an astute teacher noticed an able sixth-former who was failing academically but who clearly had the potential for ... something/ anything/ possibly the taking of pictures? It was a long shot, but an accurate one. Within weeks he had dropped out of school and had blagged a job on his local newspaper. An ambitious would-be rock writer there took him under his wing. Waiting for ‘A’ level results? Mitch was too busy backstage at his local venue, capturing on film fledgling bands called Bauhaus and The Smiths.
In the years since then, he has established himself as one of Britain’s most in-demand and respected commercial photographers. In no small part, this is through his 20-year association with the Times Magazine, the colour supplement which appears each Saturday within The Times. Among the iconic portraits he has contributed to the publication are those of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, music legends Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, David Bowie and Leonard Cohen and actors Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. And more recently, his innovative rebranding work for such UK broadcasters as Channel 5 and Sky and, in the US, the A&E network have brought him a greatly-increased recognition both at home and internationally. “Those big, big TV heads staring into camera on billboards and outdoor poster sites? I’ve become the go-to guy for all of that.”
And by TV heads he means those belonging to the famous stars of such acclaimed American series as the CSI franchise, Prison Break, Grey’s Anatomy, The Sopranos and more. The rocketing industry profile that has resulted from this much-imitated work means that Mitch now says of himself, “I’ve always thought of myself as the best-kept secret in photography and yet, suddenly, there’s this new level of awareness of me. It’s like it’s taken 30 years for me to become an overnight success. And if any one image is to thank for that, I’d say it was the very first I took of Hugh Laurie tor the show House when rebranding Channel 5. It was seen as a stand-out and all the rest have stemmed from that.”
Yet despite the commissions coming in thick and fast and other photographers now routinely attempt to ape his style, Mitch has found himself compelled to examine his priorities. That’s why I knew I had to make changes in my working life. I’ve started to seek out subjects which are truly of interest to me as well as just commissions.”
In the first instance, that involved strolling around the corner to visit his friend of 30 years, fellow Northampton resident Alan Moore (they met when editor Mark Ellen commissioned Mitch to photograph the comics writer and novelist for the very first issue of Q). “I told him I was looking for some narrative to explore and asked if he might have any words floating around that I might use simply as an inspiration for taking some pics for my own portfolio. He handed me this very dense piece of text, Unearthing (about a man who has a relationship with a moon goddess) and suddenly I was on my way ...”.
But not quite. Though his creativity was indeed spurred by Moore’s book (one published previously within an anthology, but little noticed at the time), Mitch found himself confronted by a dilemma. The first images he took as a result of having read it appeared to him forced and false, as if he were trying too hard to be something other than his successful commercial photographer self. “I was worrying about pleasing other people, rather than just relaxing and daring to please myself. Realising that was like the penny dropping. I changed my whole approach and everything somehow fell into place. The work I produced from then was truly satisfying both to me and to those whom I showed it too - and so much has happened since as a result.” And that’s what you might term an understatement, given the variety of personal projects which Mitch is now taking forward.
Under the aegis of their own company, Orphans Of The Storm, he and Moore have developed Unearthing into a project that has already included a series of live shows and a spoken word piece now presented for sale in boxed set form and which will later this year be available in both coffee table and paperback formats. Meanwhile, Jimmy’s End, a short film they are working on together (Moore has previously turned down all approaches, many of them highly lucrative, by other parties wanting to his work) and which Mitch will direct, has provoked the interest of major players in the online and cinema world. A well-known and highly successful production company is looking to fund their turning it into a full-length feature, with accompanying computer game and books. And there is a further project, a planned nude photographic book, that Mitch is developing in collaboration with art director Paul Chessell and pornographic illustrator Melinda Gebbie.
“The really exciting thing now is that when I have an idea, I’m in a position to just make it happen,” he says. “I’m more fired up and invigorated by my work that any point in my career to date”. Mitch continues to be based in Northampton, where he lives with his wife Beverley and their four children, Scarlett, Jed, Lola and Talulah.
