We asked a handful of our favourite photographers to look back at 2019 and remember it through the photographs they took. From i-D contributions to personal pictures of friends, family and strangers on the street, this is Charlotte Patmore: My Year in Photos.
When photographer Charlotte Patmore moved down from Wigan to London, she quickly dropped her ambition of becoming a fashion designer and pivoted to music photographer instead. She’s since become one of London’s most prolific names in music photography, shooting editorials, concerts, covers and campaigns featuring many of the city’s most interesting young artists. “Anton Corbijn and Mick Rock were my inspiration when I first started taking music pics,” she told i-D earlier this year. “I used to be picture editor at NME and their archives of Anton Corbijn’s work were so good. Juergen Teller too — he started with music photographs.” Normally spending months at a time on tour, her roster includes stories with Charli XCX, Idles, Eliza and, of course, partner Archy. This year, the couple had their first baby, something that disrupted her usual flow of late nights and international travel…
1.
I documented my pregnancy by taking polaroids of myself every week until I gave birth. All of the images use flash, so these are a few outtakes.
2.
At the beginning of the year I started prepping for labour. I really underestimated my body, its true strength and beauty before becoming pregnant. Now I’m in total awe of it.
3.
In February it snowed, Archy and I started filming “Hey World!” I was heavily pregnant and you could see the camera moving from the kicks on some of the takes.
4.
In March I gave birth. It was — as I feel a lot of people say — the best experience of my life but also the most physical pain I’ve ever felt. The midwives were incredible and I had a water birth which was magical. This image is my hospital bed after the afterbirth of the placenta.
5.
Before I was pregnant I hadn’t really heard of a placenta, but it’s the organ that feeds your baby and you give birth to it too. I wanted to do something special with it, so we buried it.
6.
This year we stayed put, in one place for the entire year. For the past few years, nearly the past decade, I’ve been travelling and touring and waking up somewhere new most days. It was really special to watch the landscape slowly change before our eyes.
7.
Archy in bed.
8.
Archy beneath the moon.
9.
Golden hour.
10.
Archy outside.
11.
Archy eyes.
12.
Next year will most certainly be a lot different to this one but I’m looking forward to the adventure.
Credits
All images courtesy Charlotte Patmore