portraiture & celebrity photography

Jul 2019

Michael Wharley

London

Michael shoots advertising, portrait and editorial work for a broad span of entertainment industry clients, and beyond. His bold, impactful, atmospheric pictures effortlessly capture the stories of film, TV and theatre productions for nationwide advertising campaigns, while his portraits of actors, musicians and celebrities mix drama and personality with a nuanced eye for lighting and colour.

Recent highlights include journeying inside the tortured mind of Sergei Rachmaninoff for Tony Award-winning musical Preludes; capturing all the advertising and poster imagery for Lionsgate's new feature film Summerland, starring Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha Raw and Penelope Wilton; going full hip hop for Mushy: Lyrically Speaking, a new stage version of the Educating Yorkshire star's story, and painting comedian Andrew Maxwell gold for Call, Me Julius (Caesar).

Enjoying a particular flair for lighting, Michael's personal work on ongoing projects like The Midnight Hour and Car Stories, allows him to push his studio-based and location-lighting skills to the limit, combining ambient, continuous and strobe to dramatic effect.

He brings creativity and an easygoing manner to all his work, underpinned by detail, precision and a team that will get the shot, no matter the shoot.

He is an AOP member and Fellow of the BIPP.