In 1953, Dave Sharkey, a former professional boxer, and his wife, Ann, established a photographic studio on Oxford Street in London. The studio offered prints 'ready in 10 minutes' long before any other establishment in the city could provide such a swift service. Its prime location near the US embassy and Selfridges made it a bustling hub for artists, actors, musicians, and athletes seeking passport photos. The studio, later taken over by their son Philip, became a crossroads for celebrities.
A Collection of Iconic Images
Now, a new book titled Passport Photo Service, published by Phaidon Press, showcases more than 300 celebrity portraits captured at the studio from the 1950s to the 2010s. Among the subjects are Muhammad Ali, Bianca and Mick Jagger, David Hockney, Tilda Swinton, and many more.
Notable Portraits
- Bianca Jagger (activist, 1 June 1976) and Mick Jagger (musician, same date)
- David Hockney (artist, 22 June 1965 and 21 January 1970)
- Nancy Spungen (10 August 1978) and Poly Styrene (musician, 28 October 1997)
- Dudley Moore (actor, 30 November 1967 and 28 January 1975)
- Tilda Swinton (actor, 18 May 2013) and Vincent Cassel (actor, 10 October 2015)
- Alec Guinness (actor, 1975) and Ben Kingsley (actor, 15 October 1992)
- Leslie Caron (actor and dancer, 1960s) and Pattie Boyd (model, 1960s)
- Sting (musician, 3 May 2006) and Van Morrison (musician, 26 November 1988)
- Joan Collins (actor, 13 July 1971 and 31 October 1979)
- Marty Feldman (actor, 9 January 1969) and Ava Gardner (actor, 16 September 1976 and 2 April 1987)
- Sean Connery (actor, 14 September 1977 and 15 May 1982)
- Christiane Amanpour (journalist, 15 October 2002) and Kate Winslet (actor, 2 October 1997, taken for her character in the film Hideous Kinky)
- Muhammad Ali (boxer, 11 June 1974)
