"For nearly six decades, anyone and everyone who needed a passport photo shuffled through Dave Sharkey's modest Oxford Street studio. Located opposite Selfridges, it quietly became one of London's most influential photographic institutions."
"Philip Sharkey recalls, 'When I was eight or nine years old, I took Paul Getty's passport photos to him. My father said to me, 'that's the richest man in the world'. And I thought, God - if I was the richest man in the world, I'd be smiling. He looked miserable.'"
"Dave Sharkey was born in the East End and left school at 14 to become a professional boxer. After boxing, he took photos of tourists in Trafalgar Square until the council shut him down, leading to the establishment of his passport photo service."
"He chose a strategic location, minutes from the American, Canadian and other Mayfair embassies, meaning a steady stream of travellers walked through the door, hundreds of whom happened to be famous."
For nearly sixty years, Dave Sharkey's passport photo studio on Oxford Street served countless individuals, including celebrities like Muhammad Ali and Madonna. The studio operated under strict rules, producing one large-format negative per session, often just minutes before embassy deadlines. Philip Sharkey, Dave's son, recalls assisting in the studio from a young age, including taking passport photos for Paul Getty. The studio's strategic location near major embassies ensured a steady flow of clients, many of whom were famous figures in entertainment and sports. An archive of over 300 celebrity portraits is now on display for the first time.
Read at www.bbc.com
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