Radio Times Magazine Cover Shoot

I recently had an incredible behind-the-scenes experience working alongside family friend and portrait photographer Adam Lawrence (@adamlawrencephotographer) on a high-profile Radio Times cover shoot. Article Available Here. Picture this: the legendary Judge Robert Rinder and charismatic British TV personality Rylan Clark transforming Holborn Studios into their personal stage for what would become an iconic cover image.

As Adam's assistant, I was thrown into the fast-paced world of professional photography, where every detail matters. We meticulously crafted the perfect setup—positioning three powerful Profoto lights with precision while strategically placing a larger Profoto as our backlight (you can actually see its dramatic effect illuminating Rylan from behind in the final shot). The star of our technical arsenal was Adam's Phase One camera—the Rolls Royce of medium format photography—tethered directly to an iMac for instant, real-time image capture that let us see magic happen as it unfolded.

But here's the twist that still makes me chuckle: I became Rob Rinder's unofficial body double during lighting tests. Adam's reasoning? I was "roughly the same height as him." At five foot eight, I figured I'd be standing in for someone much taller—imagine my surprise when the actual Judge Rinder walked in and we were perfectly eye-to-eye!

Below you'll find shots of me channeling my inner TV judge during the technical rehearsals, unknowingly preparing to meet my height twin.