Home / Arts and Entertainment / 60 Years of Fame Captured in Passport Photos
60 Years of Fame Captured in Passport Photos
3 May
Summary
- Studio captured over 300 celebrity portraits for passports.
- Celebrities like Madonna and Muhammad Ali were clients.
- The archive is now displayed for the first time.
An influential photographic institution on London's Oxford Street, known for its passport photo services, is now showcasing its remarkable archive. For nearly sixty years, the studio, conveniently located opposite Selfridges, served everyone from everyday citizens to global celebrities, including Muhammad Ali, Madonna, Sean Connery, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Under the same stringent rules – one shot, large format, no frills – countless famous individuals had their passport photos taken, often minutes before embassy deadlines. The studio's reputation was built on speed and consistency, with the Sharkey family, including founder Dave Sharkey, his wife Ann, and son Philip, all contributing to its success.
An exhibition now displays over 300 celebrity portraits from this unique archive. These images capture moments where fame intersected with the bureaucracy of official photography, featuring anecdotes of stars like Sean Connery arriving without his hairpiece and Ava Gardner quietly observing the studio's bustling atmosphere.
Philip Sharkey, son of the founder, recalls childhood memories of celebrities visiting, including an encounter with J. Paul Getty. The archive also holds images of individuals who were not yet famous at the time of their photograph, representing a lost history of emerging talent captured by the studio's lens.
