Sky Labour Leaders Debate

A few shots from the Sky News Labour Leadership Debate in Norwich, where I was the official Sky News photographer. Having left the house at around 6am, it was always due to be a long morning. There were untold amounts of restrictions about when and where I could take pictures, with certain areas out of bounds and no movement when the cameras were rolling. However, a few nice shots came out of it and a decent publication in The Times the following morning too.

David Miliband Campaign

Former Foreign Minister David Miliband visited the West Harrow Labour Club, to start his campaign to become the new leader of the Labour Party following a woeful General Election. Surprisingly, I was the only national newspaper photographer there- possibly as the rest of the media was watching events unfold in Westminster, as David Cameron and Nick Clegg's negotiating teams worked on forming a historic coalition government.

One of my pictures was used on the front page of The Daily Mirror the following day.

Satisfied with my pictures, I asked the press officer if I could have a minute with Mr. Miliband. She said it may be a possibility, a brief moment later I was one-on-one for about 30 seconds, and managed to shoot the portrait below.

More pictures available on my website... www.blakeezracole.com

Conservative Party HQ

With the future UK government up in the air, the country having voted for a Hung Parliament, I received a call on Friday night from the News of the World who, like every other Sunday paper, were planning on giving masses of space to the election and subsequent jostle for power.

The coming weekend was to be an unprecedented one, with secret negotiations between all parties happening behind the scenes. I arrived at the Conservative HQ on Millbank, central London at 20.00, and ended up there (and awake) for 25 hours. The main players of the Conservatives all came and went throughout the day, David Cameron choosing to try to avoid the press in order to distance himself from the coalition talks in case they should fail.

William Hague arrives in the morning.

Future Prime Minister David Cameron leaves through the back door.

Oliver Letwin, scared of me being run over as I step into the road.

A shady looking George Osborne leaves the HQ.

Esther Rantzen Campaign

Television presenter and founder of Childline Esther Rantzen welcomed me into her office in Luton this morning, where she is campaigning to be an independent MP for Luton South.

It was hoped that there might be an influx of independent candidates standing to be MPs after the expenses scandal that engulfed every party in Westminster. Esther's campaign has gained some momentum, and she's certainly a seasoned campaigner with the press- making sure that myself and the other two photographers could get all the shots we each needed.

David Cameron Campaign

With the General Election in full swing, I had the chance to photograph David Cameron this morning, as he gave a talk at a business centre in south London- continuing his campaign to become the next Prime Minister.

Politicians are always placed in front of masses of people at these types of events; possibly as there are so many events and they'd like each one to look different, maybe also so they build up a mental association in the mind of the viewer that they are leaders- standing at the front of a crowd. Either way, sometimes it can enhance a picture but it can also ruin one- a badly placed extra can make a scene look messy. I think in this case the architecture of the building adds to the pictures.

John Major at Wellington

This evening I was commissioned by the prestigious Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire, to photograph former British Prime Minister John Major, who was speaking to a gathered group of around 200 students.

I was 7 years old when John Major came to power in the UK- I remember vividly the race for power are the historic departure of Margaret Thatcher. It could be his relatively dour-on-television persona, or his timing of being sandwiched in between the dynamism of Thatcher and Blair, but John Major is somehow not seen as such a major player of modern day British politics.

I was impressed with his vigour and up-to-the-minute knowledge of world affairs, and was sure that if I were to have been a listening student and not a photographer worried about the incredibly dark room, I would have been inspired to be the best citizen I could be after listening to Mr. Major.

John Major arrives with Headmaster Dr. Anthony Seldon.