Sir Alex Ferguson, Autobiography

" Photographer Sean Pollock captured a number of images over a four year period, and has donea fantastic job. His laidback manner and discretion ensured that he got what he wanted without being intrusive in any way " Sir Alex Ferguson, Sept 2013

October 24th saw the launch of Sir Alex Ferguson's Autobiography. I'd been working on the project for around four years when he announced his retirement, calling an abrupt halt to the most successful management career in British football. All that remained was to shoot the cover (below) which was completed in July 2013.

Here are a selection of the twenty five images which feature in the book.

Telegraph Magazine

With Sir Alex Ferguson's Autobiography out this week, here's the story as it appearedin the magazine.

Harvard Business Review

Sir Alex Ferguson's Autobiography

Today sees the Press Release of Sir Alex Ferguson's Autobiography cover.This portrait is the culmination of three years photographing Sir Alex at work and play. Some of the images will appear in his forthcoming book to be published by Hodder and Stoughton and is due for release late October.

Sir Alex Ferguson

Over the last three years I've been photographing Sir Alex Ferguson.With his sudden retirement the images will be used for his forthcoming autobiography to be published in October.

Roberto Di Matteo

One from the archive, originally shot at his home in Rome for MTV Footballer's Cribs in 2005.Roberto had recently retired due to injury and was working as a pundit on Italian Television. Recent events have seen him win the Champions League with Chelsea and promoted to manager.

Art Installation

" Stepping into one of Laura Buckley's installations is a disorienting experience: her fusions of sounds, images and objects seem to turn our thoughts inside out. "Skye Sherwin, The Guardian

Poet In The City

I was recently asked to contribute an image on the theme of the " individual in the city " for Poet in The City. It's an organisation which aims to promote poetry to new audiences, building bridges between business and schools. The picture was originally shot as an architectural image for Computer Associates at their base in Slough. Having composed the frame I had my assistant assume the role of " poet " on the steps. It's this detail that appears on the recent event invitation.

Post Code Wars

There has always been conflict between two different areas, between countries, between region in countries.But it seems that over the generations it has broken down to even smaller areas with young people fighting with each other just because they come from two different postcodes.

Young actors from Hackney addressed the issue in a play called " The Road " set in a post apocalyptic dystopia. A panel included Ian Levy, who set up the Robert Levy Foundation in memory of his 16 year old son who was murdered in Hackney in 2004. It aims to engage young people in positive activities and help create a better image of the borough.

During the debate a young audience member offered an enlightened if naive solution " why don't we just abolish the post codes ". If only it was that simple.

GKN Engineering, New Website Photography

Here are a selection of screen grabs from global engineering group GKN's website redesigned by Excite Communications. Over the last 4 years i have photographed products and people for their Annual Reports in countries as diverse as China, India, Germany, Brazil and Italy. The brief was to come up with a selection of documentary images showing people, processes and products at the various factories.

Excite communications required the pictures to be Letterbox in shape with the subject right of frame allowing space for the band of yellow left of frame with the text info.