For the first time ever, a new book has revealed a wealth of never-before-seen celebrity passport images.
In Passport Photo Service: An Unexpected Archive of Celebrity Portraits, over 300 headshots taken over several decades in a London studio that subtly became into an unexpected destination for the wealthy and well-known are featured.
The collection was put together by Philip Sharkey, the son of photographer David Sharkey, who established the Passport Photo Service in 1953 on Oxford Street in London.
Hollywood celebrities, music royalty, and international giants like Shania Twain, Errol Flynn, Muhammad Ali, and Ringo Starr would visit the studio for last-minute photos before flights because of its ideal position close to the American Embassy.
While they waited for their turn to pose, patrons marvelled at the pictures of the studio’s most well-known faces displayed on the wall.
However, these personal photographs are now being made public for the first time ever, coupled with heartfelt narratives from the photographer.
David Sharkey took a passport shot of Muhammad Ali in London.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Joan Collins made three distinct visits. They are part of the latest collection.
Madonna, Joan Collins, and Woody Allen are some of the most recognisable names.
“When customers who are so recognisable look a bit cheesed off at having to dash from the embassy to have their picture taken and then rush back, I always think it best to leave them be,” Sharkey wrote, recalling Allen’s visit to the studio around the release of his 1980 film Stardust Memories.
When it came time for Allen to pay, the chilly exchange only got more noteworthy. “He didn’t seem to understand the value of UK currency and just thrust some notes at me, which I carefully picked out, giving him a rough conversion rate,” I said. That didn’t appear to worry him too much.
Van Morrison ignored Sharkey’s uncle Peter when he mentioned that he had bought tickets to see him perform live, so Allen wasn’t the only distant A-lister to walk into the studio.
Sharkey, on the other hand, remembered that Dynasty diva Collins was at the height of her stardom when she entered the studio to be shot for the third time in July 1988. He characterised Collins as a perfect charmer who was completely aware of the influence she had on his modest studio and its clients.
Two pictures of actor Dudley Moore are shown on the left. An snapshot from 1988 shows musician Van Morrison on the right.
Kate Winslet is shown on the right in 1997, the year the movie Titanic catapulted her to global stardom, while Shania Twain is seen on the left in 2003.
Sean Connery made two different visits to the studio. His appearance hasn’t changed much in more than ten years, as seen in the pictures above.
In June 1967, Bianca and Mick Jagger visited the studio to get their passport pictures shot.
A picture of Sting from twenty years ago. Up until 2019, Passport Photo Service was still in service.
Legendary actors Ava Gardner and Sir Alec Guinness both stopped at the studio.
Phaidon published the book, which is currently available for purchase. “She had been in a few times before with her children, but Dynasty was now a huge television series,” he added.”Darlings, how are you?” she asked us, leaving the waiting patrons stunned. “I never go anywhere else for my passport photos,” he said to the startled bystanders. “It is so nice to see you all again.”
Additionally, he disclosed that Collins was in the ideal downpat position, characterising it as “on a very slight angle to the left.”
In the meanwhile, the photographer gave “Queen of Funk” Chaka Khan high marks, calling her “a delight to photograph” with “a happy, natural smile.”
However, not all celebrities were prepared to take the chance of visiting the Oxford Street studio in public.
Sharkey went to Home House, the ultra-exclusive private members club where Madonna and her then-husband Guy Ritchie were staying while their home was being renovated, when Madonna needed new passport photos taken. “They had just put their children to bed and sat themselves down unceremoniously on some flight cases for their portraits,” he recalled.
Sharkey went on to say that he also took pictures of a number of Madonna’s kids when they visited the studio separately with their nanny.
Up until 2019, Passport Photo Service was still in service.
In addition to photographs of Mick Jagger, Kate Winslet, Little Richard, George Michael, Bill Murray, Roy Orbison, Katy Perry, and many others, the coffee table book was released on April 15 and is fashioned to resemble a passport wallet.
