benhästen

Photo by Emily Andersen

“I was shooting in Sussex for a fashion designer, Richard Ostell, and this was the last setup of the day. We had already taken pictures in lots of different locations: at an old gas works, near a river, by the sea. But my parents lived locally, and I realised that it would make the whole thing more interesting to dress them up in the clothes; it’s unusual to see people of their age in fashion shoots.

They enjoyed taking part. I’ve photographed my family and friends for years, so they are used to it, and my dad is a natural actor. There was no awkwardness; once I start taking pictures, the people become part of the scene.

I wanted the models to be in the picture as well, so I got the woman to hang a sheet out of the window, and the man to shout up to her. In a split second, a shoot can go from being very ordinary to something less so, and I think they were excited by the way I was directing them.

As a viewer, you’re not sure where to look or what is going on. There are all sorts of references; it’s a frame within a frame. My father is looking straight at you and is framed by a door – but you’ve got these other people who are framed, too. It is almost animated: you keep expecting something to pop out of another window.

This was the first of many photographs of people in pairs. I am intrigued by the relationships between sisters, twins, friends, fathers and daughters, or couples. What I’ve learned over the years is to direct in a subtle way, to see how people respond naturally.

My mother said afterwards she had been interested to see how I concentrate when I work. She kept the dress, but the suit wasn’t really something my dad would go for. They still send postcards of this picture to friends.”

Via The Guardian