Worth a thousand words…
The British conceptual photographer, whose trademark is stunning portraiture that reflects his clients’ identities and dreams, welcomed the passage of marriage equality in England and Ireland, and the United States. “I am so happy for the countries that have put these laws in place, now it’s time for the rest of the world to catch up.”
His first lesbian portrait depicts new lesbian moms Sacha T, Tia H and their baby girl Darcie Ray Holland, who they hadthrough IVF at the London Women’s Clinic. The family is floating high in the sky in a rainbow balloon.
“This is my first LGBT piece and I would love for it to open another world of photography for me and for others.I’ve been approached by gay couples before who have almost been afraid to ask me for a quote for my work because of being previously turned down by someone else; this really saddens me. How someone can turn away two people or a new family is beyond my comprehension.”
Holroyd felt proud to help Sacha and Tia immortalize their love and new life with a stunning and personalized piece of conceptual art. The girls are huge fans of Harry Potter, so Holroyd added a rendering of Hogwarts in the background and pinned little Darcie’s future acceptance letter on the side of the basket. “They will be fabulous mums and Darcie is a very lucky little girl to have such amazing parents,” said Holroyd, whose photos take between 20-40 hours to complete (from conception drawings to finished piece). “Everything in the image is drawn by me, that photo was actually taken in the girls’ living room; Sacha, Tia and Darcie are the only real part of the image.”
Holroyd is further inspired by getting to know his clients, meeting their budget, their expectations, and respecting them. “It’s very much about trust and thankfully I’m good at getting to know people, which really helps with the concepts and it’s amazing to be able to give someone a completely bespoke memory that will never be reproduced.”