When one of our favourite photographers tweeted that he was doing a portrait session up at Leeds’ amazing White Cloth Gallery we messaged back that we wished it was closer. Next thing we know we’re organising to make it happen in Brighton, with our friends Create. What is it about Chris Floyd that makes us so want to have him take our photo that we’ll go to such lengths? Well, his portraits are thoughtful, sometimes glamorous, frequently beautiful and always revealing a layer below the surface. No wonder they’ve ended up in the National Portrait Gallery collection and on the Taylor Wessing Prize shortlist.

If you haven’t noticed his name next to portraits of Paul McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow and Bat For Lashes, or on shoots for the likes of The New Yorker, Guardian Weekend and Agent Provocateur, then you might have clocked it on the acres of press attention his Twitter-based 140 Characters project – showing at Create at the same time – received. He photographed 140 of his closest friends on the social network, people he’d never met but spent more time with than his ‘real’ friends. Lily Allen, Caitlin Moran and Brighton music journalist Alexis Petridis (above) were just a few who took part. One of the photos he took of Caitlin Moran at the session ended up on the cover of her book ‘How To Be A Woman’.

If you want to have your portrait taken by Chris, prices start at just £50 for one or two people, including a black and white print. That’s a lot less than he charges the likes of British Airways, that’s for sure. Book here.

140 Characters
Space @ Create, Thurs 7th-Sun 24th (exhibition),
Sat 23rd-Sun 24th (portrait session)