Artwork for Austel’s Album “Mirror to Mine”

Austel at the Grain Battery Tower at low tide.

Annie, also known by her stage name Austel, reached out to me to make some images for her latest album ‘Mirror to Mine’.

The new album marks a transition in her style towards a more folky/acoustic sound, and she wanted images to help bring this new direction to life.

She came to me with a concept revolving around the idea of nostalgia and a rundown seaside aesthetic, with postcards for each song.

From Annie: “The album will be called Mirror To Mine, which has a dual meaning of two mirrors facing each other and 'deflecting', but then also mining your own reflection, excavating yourself. I thought it would be fun to try and get hold of an old pickaxe as a prop for this shoot...while wearing a flowy dress.”

I loved the juxtaposition of Annie wielding a pickaxe in a dress, and the fact that she managed to source one from a family members farm made it all the more meaningful.

We drove to the coast to the Grain Battery Tower, which was both stunning and deserted. I slipped and slid my way across the muddy banks of the River Medway in my woefully inadequate footwear with my Sony A7 III, Mamiya RB67 and Canon AE-1 in tow, thankfully managing to stay upright and get the shots we wanted.

You can follow Annie on instagram and check out the album Mirror to Mine.