Commission (retirement): musician Pete Whitehead

My friend Grania - a fellow reporter from my first newspaper job at the Kensington Post - let me know that her husband Pete was retiring from journalism at the FT and they were throwing a big birthday party to celebrate, where he planned to entertain guests with his musician friends. 

She asked if I would I go along and take photos, without telling him that she was commissioning me to portray him in action.  I was delighted to do so went along with my husband on the night and discovered they had hired a huge screen that showed photos of him throughout his life - including the one shown in my picture where he met his hero George Best. 

It was a joy to portray someone I had known for many years, on such a happy occasion.  I completed the portrait in time for Christmas, as requested, and was rewarded with a photo of him, smiling broadly with my portrait in his hand in front of the Christmas tree.