Nicholas Sinclair (born 1954) is a British portrait[1][2] and landscape photographer. His work has been published in a number of books of his own, exhibited eight times at the National Portrait Gallery in London,[3] and is held in the permanent collections there[3] and in the Victoria and Albert Museum,[4] London. In 2003 he was made a Hasselblad Master.[3]
Sinclair was born in London. He studied fine art at Newcastle University.
His career as a photographer began in 1982 with a series of photographs taken in the circus[1] which were first exhibited in 1983 at the University of Sussex and subsequently published in the British Journal of Photography.[citation needed]
He came into prominence in the early 1990s when he photographed John Piper, leading to a series of portraits commissioned by art historian David Alan Mellor.[5]
He is known principally as a portrait photographer, his subjects include Anthony Caro, Frank Auerbach, John Piper and Paula Rego.[1][2] He has edited two books about the Welsh artist Kyffin Williams and made portraits of him.[1]
Sinclair also makes landscape photographs—he has made two books on European cities and one on a lake.
As of now, Sinclair lives between the cities of Brighton, England, and Berlin, Germany.[6]
He employs a square format and predominantly black and white photography, aiming for a timeless quality. Sinclair's notable subjects include Sir Anthony Caro and Frank Auerbach.[7]
He emphasizes a sense of engagement and connection with his subjects during the editing process.[8] While primarily known for black and white portraits,[9] Sinclair has also produced color prints, showcasing artists like Gillian Wearing.[10] He continues to seek out new subjects, particularly focusing on underrepresented artists and emerging talents.[5]
His work has been exhibited eight times at the National Portrait Gallery, London[3]
Sinclair's work is held in the following permanent collections:
