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 .