Photograph and words by GREG WILLIAMS

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Greg Williams takes pause to consider the bigger picture of images seen small on his social media. This issue: Paul Mescal walking to the 2023 BAFTAs in London.

Most guests arrive at the BAFTAs in cars, but Paul likes to break the mould on things. He was staying at a hotel across the river and said, ‘Let’s walk’ – we just walked across Waterloo Bridge to the Royal Festival Hall. I divide photography into being an observer and being a participant – where you sense a connection between the subjects and me. It gives the audience a first-person experience: it feels like they’re fist-bumping Paul Mescal on a bridge, walking to the BAFTAs. 

Structurally, it’s pretty close to the rule of thirds. This has the London Eye and Big Ben on the side – a real London image and a lucky accident. The picture has a nice line from my fist that goes straight through the vintage Cartier brooch and the middle of the London Eye. I took the picture for Cartier and also managed to get the Tank Louis in shot nicely. It was a fun and exhilarating shoot – and no-one really noticed us, despite him being nominated for Best Actor for Aftersun at the BAFTAs. When I shoot like this barely anyone notices, because they’re not expecting it. I don’t put up lights and tripods, I’m not holding up the traffic – we don’t look like a photoshoot and don’t attract any attention. You don’t look any different from a tourist taking a picture on a bridge.

Shot on a Leica Q2 with a 28mm lens