Born and raised in Ireland, Boo George discovered photography through a media course before moving to the North East on a scholarship to study photography at what was then Cleveland College of Art & Design, now The Northern School of Art. During his studies, he developed an interest in documentary photography, photographing travellers and fishermen and exploring the relationship between people and their surroundings.
For his final-year project, Boo travelled to Whitby and spent time aboard a North Sea fishing trawler, documenting the lives of fishermen at sea. The project reflected the documentary approach that would become an important foundation for his later work, combining an interest in people, place and character with a distinctive cinematic visual style.
After graduating, Boo moved to London and spent several years working as a photographic assistant, including assisting photographers Julian Broad and Phil Poynter. The experience gave him an insight into both the creative and commercial sides of professional photography, helping him develop his own approach and understanding of the industry.
His career took a significant step forward when photographs he had taken of diamond miners in Zambia caught the attention of LOVE magazine editor Katie Grand. The resulting commissions helped establish Boo within the fashion industry, while his documentary background gave his fashion and portrait photography a distinctive sense of character and authenticity.
In 2013, Boo was named the winner of The Shot, a photography competition organised by W magazine and the International Centre of Photography to identify emerging fashion photography talent. By this point, his work had already appeared in international publications including Vogue, W, i-D, Teen Vogue, T, LOVE and Interview.
Boo has since developed an international career working across fashion, editorial, advertising and portraiture. His clients and publications have included Emporio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Hermès, Levi’s, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein and Vogue, while his portraits have featured figures including Emma Watson, Eddie Redmayne, Helen Mirren, Victoria Beckham, Michael Fassbender, Kim Kardashian and Sienna Miller.
His work has also expanded into directing, with Boo working across fashion, automotive and lifestyle campaigns. His ability to combine photography and moving image has allowed him to bring the same cinematic and character-led approach into commercial film projects.
Boo’s career demonstrates how a foundation in documentary photography can develop into a successful career across fashion, editorial, advertising and portraiture. His early interest in photographing people and communities has remained an important part of his visual approach, even as his work has moved into international fashion and commercial photography.
Website: https://www.boogeorge.studio/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boo_george_studio/