The Second (Alan) Cumming

I had the pleasure of shooting with Alan Cumming recently. I hadn’t seen him in 18 years, since our last session, but we seem to pick up where we left off. When he strolled in, with his mischievous smile, silver hair, and matching polkadot jacket and shorts, I knew that everything was going to be fine.

I started my career photographing people much older than me, and a recent years it’s often younger ones. Both are fantastic, and I always appreciate the opportunity to meet new folks and hear their stories, but there’s something nice and unobstructed about making conversation with someone the same age as me.

With Alan, I know that I could make a joke referencing British music groups Haircut 100, or Soft Cell, and it would land easily and effectively. I mean, heck, I could’ve gone deeper still, name checking Heaven 17 or Orange Juice.

In the end, the session was as easy as the conversation. And, he even brought one of his adorable dogs - which he fully admitted was there to upstage him!

Top Image: A man and his dog.

Bottom Image: A recently red Alan Cumming, then the yellow "jerk" version, from 2003.