photography
St ry behind the
picture Dominic Cummings By Mark Thomas
As I freelance, I always plan ahead, keep a keen eye on the news and try to come up with new ideas. I get commissioned work, but when it’s quiet, I go out nearly every day and shoot news and topical pictures. Never far from the news, Dominic Cummings went right back to the centre of things amid the partygate controversy. I decided that some up-to-date pictures of him would be useful. I set my alarm for 5.45am and set off on a bus, tube and then another bus to his home in Islington, north London, arriving at 7.20am. I had been there a few times during the Barnard Castle story. There was one other photographer there who had spent the entire day
outside the house the previous day with no luck. That day, Cummings’ wife had said that he would be having zoom meetings all day. We waited patiently and a film crew and four more photographers arrived.
Then we noticed a few twitching curtains in the house as people checked our numbers. There were a few moments when we jumped unnecessarily as we heard doors being rattled and neighbours departing. I wasn’t feeling hopeful.
Then, to our surprise the basement door opened at 8.40am and the man himself strode up the stairs. He said he was happy to give us a quick picture. We duly took our photographs. He told us that his wife and son would shortly be leaving the house and asked us to keep our distance and please not take any photographs of them. I certainly wouldn’t take photos of someone’s child. He also said that he
was giving us a picture in the hope that we would be happy and then leave him alone. We thanked him and departed. Photos processed and despatched – a good job done.
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