Polly Samson on photographing life with husband David Gilmour: ‘I saw it in my mind’s eye first’

Polly Samson has been documenting reside reveals from her distinctive viewpoint for over 20 years, and launched her sixth ebook of images, Luck and Strange Studio/Live, final yr.

Offering intimate insights into the artistic means of her husband, David Gilmour, in addition to their longstanding creative partnership, the ebook additionally offers materials for Samson’s inaugural present with Leica at its London gallery.

Light is vital to Samson’s work, whether or not candlelight casting a flickering glow on the Pink Floyd legend as he rehearses in his studio, or from the total moon overhead as he and Samson, together with their two canine, mirrored in a big mirror positioned in a mist-shrouded subject. Then there’s the sunshine and darkish enjoying throughout a close-up of Gilmour’s arms, folded gently on a desk as an alternative of wielding a guitar.

As the critically acclaimed writer behind novels similar to The Kindness (2015) and A Theatre for Dreamers (2025), Samson brings her narrative voice to her work in images, prompting the viewer to ask questions in regards to the tales surrounding every of her topics.

She tells The Independent about her course of and her many sources of inspiration.

How does your novel-writing inform your images?

It’s normally the opposite manner round but when it does, it’s in all probability a few of my extra arrange footage, just like the one among David strolling between large inflatable balls and silver birches within the mist. I’m glad to see it pleasingly massive within the exhibition at Leica. It’s uncommon that I can see an image in my creativeness after which make it {a photograph}. Photography has typically been in service to my writing life, nevertheless. For instance, my most up-to-date novel, A Theatre for Dreamers, was largely knowledgeable and impressed by a set of James Burke’s pictures of the Bohemian group on the Greek island of Hydra in1960. I had them pinned up throughout me whereas I used to be writing together with others that I’d taken there myself in all weathers, to remind myself of locations and views and issues like what’s flowering there and when.

Which of your pictures stunned you essentially the most after you’ve taken it?

Of those within the exhibition, I’d say the double exposures of David [Gilmour] and [late keyboard player and Pink Floyd co-founder] Rick Wright. I took them in 2005 at David’s studio houseboat Astoria. They are studying the lyrics to The Blue and making an attempt out the place the harmonies ought to be. I can bear in mind it so clearly as a result of I had tousled loading the movie and it was winding on half a body at a time. I saved taking pictures and inwardly cursing. I had by no means thought to have a look at the contacts till I used to be getting ready for the exhibition and thought how fascinating it could be to print the strip.

What is your favorite {photograph} that you simply’ve taken of your husband David Gilmour?

There’s {a photograph} of his arms within the exhibition that I like.

One of your most affecting and private pictures is a portrait along with your husband and canine taken in a small mirror exterior. What was the inspiration behind taking the portrait on this manner?

This was one other of the images that I noticed in my thoughts’s eye first. I discovered an outdated mirror and propped it amongst some silver birches above a river and waited for the total moon. Eventually I cheated the rising mist by lighting a few fires of leaves and twigs. I began with a selfie and the following night time did the double portrait with David and the canine.

What is the key to a profitable artistic marriage?

I think about an important factor is for every to truly benefit from the work of the opposite.

What is essentially the most memorable live performance you may have photographed?

When David’s 2024 Luck and Strange tour got here to an finish I felt I used to be simply reaching my stride as a reside photographer and had an itch to do extra. I used to be very fortunate that Paul McCartney allowed me to {photograph} his present on the O2 shortly afterwards.

How totally different is the expertise of being a photographer at another person’s present?

When I’m photographing David I’m proper up shut, typically someplace on stage. I don’t wish to be seen by the viewers so I’ve varied hides, curled up behind speaker cupboards or sitting behind a riser and I’ve brief cuts and routes from one aspect of the stage to the opposite. Unlike once I’m taking pictures David’s present, I didn’t know any of the cues so Paul’s was a bit too exhilarating at instances, particularly when huge flames erupted beside me. The shot I like is a second of maximum pyro once I assume Paul noticed me and caught his fingers in his ears.

How snug are you in entrance of the digital camera your self?

Not in any respect snug having my {photograph} taken by anybody else, although I do often go searching for shiny surfaces to Hitchcock-myself into {a photograph} of one thing or another person. I not understand how it could really feel to stroll right into a room or down a avenue with out my digital camera.

You take pictures round your property in West Sussex, what conjures up you in regards to the panorama?

We reside surrounded by water meadows and it’s noticeable how rather more they flood now than after we moved right here 32 years in the past. Flooded fields are, nevertheless, beautiful to {photograph}. The altering gentle and temper, the reflections, bushes as much as their waists, extraordinary mists.

You mentioned a picture of your daughter enjoying the harp was impressed by rewatching [1975 film] Barry Lyndon. What different cultural references influence your visible model?

The {photograph} you point out is a part of a mission referred to as 64 Candles that I did to maintain issues fascinating and troublesome for myself by lighting the recording studio fully by candlelight.

There’s one other within the exhibition, additionally of Romany, that involves thoughts. It’s the day she filmed the video for “Between Two Points” with Gavin Elder on the shore of the Thames at Hammersmith. The photographer Misha Pedan noticed my image and mentioned that it made him consider Tarkovsky’s movie Stalker. It was on my thoughts across the time Misha died and when a neighborhood canal lock flooded it jogged my memory strongly of a scene from Stalker. I discovered a nonetheless I preferred lots with an enormous black canine. As it occurs, our canine Wesley bears a putting resemblance to the canine within the movie and we took the boat in order that David didn’t must get moist within the canal whereas I took it.

Which photographer do you most admire?

So many! I like Jill Furmanovsky’s rock and roll footage, and there’s a photographer referred to as Alexander Bronfer who captures the ambiance and temper of a spot in ways in which I discover extremely stunning. My all-time images crush is Saul Leiter.

How a lot does likelihood play in getting the fitting picture?

An enormous quantity originally of a tour when it’s simply “snap snap snap”, however after a couple of nights of what I’ve shot already I can begin to be extra deliberate and work out what I’m making an attempt to get after which get it with out annoying issues like microphones and issues on stands getting in the way in which.

Why black and white over color?

I shot solely black and white movie originally of the Luck and Strange mission. I feel I needed to sharpen up earlier than the live shows and so made it as laborious for myself as doable. Then I believed I’d maintain it black and white for the studio pictures as a result of I had been given a Leica Monochrom digital digital camera and I preferred the outcomes a lot. Once we have been on tour I modified to color for Live however caught to the [Leica M] Monochrom digital camera for backstage. It felt less-intrusive in some way to not be taking pictures folks of their dressing rooms in full wonderful color.

How lengthy has it taken you to get to this stage in images?

I’ve been fortunate to know photographers who’ve inspired me but it surely appears the one manner I can ever study something is by doing it. When David toured in 2006 and I nepotistically bought the job of tour photographer, I used to be utilizing my first movie Leica (so all the pieces handbook) and I ended up taking pictures 10,000 footage, [which was] a large studying course of carried out on the hoof.

Is images like for many artists an obsession that you simply can’t think about not being in your life?

Yes, I can’t think about a day and not using a digital camera. If I’m ever to jot down one other novel, nevertheless, I might want to restrict myself. I feel it’s laborious to create an interior world and imaginary characters whereas trying outwards at the true world by means of a lens.

Is there a day once you don’t take footage?

No, not for years.

What is the key to creating memorable pictures?

Light.

Are we now in a world the place everybody at finest is a portraitist or image-maker… and worst, everyone seems to be a paparazzi?

Yes, and I feel it’s an amazing plus for cell phones that everybody now has a digital camera of their pocket.

If we might offer you one reward, one authentic photographic picture, which would it not be?

I would really like a Lee Miller self-printed, self-portrait that was just lately proven at The Tate, please. I’ve a print from her archive but it surely’s not the identical because it consists of her head, whereas the one she printed, and that was within the exhibition, is barely a torso so it seems like a statue, which I feel should’ve been her intention.

Polly Samson’s present ‘Between This Breath and Then’ is on the Leica Gallery London till 7 May 2026; her ebook ‘David Gilmour Luck and Strange Studio/Live’ is out now, revealed by Thames & Hudson.