Passport Photo Service: An Unexpected Archive of Celebrity Portraits

The fascinating debut from photographer Sharkey collects hundreds of celebrity passport photos taken across more than 70 years at his family’s London passport photo service. Opened by the author’s father in 1953, the studio quickly became a go-to for celebrities thanks to its discretion and 10-minute turnaround, first via darkroom and later digital camera. The featured photos include a 1974 shot of a faintly smiling Mohammad Ali, taken after the boxer forgot his passport en route to a fight in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; a 1955 photo of actor Errol Flynn, who reportedly kicked the studio door open, announced “Yep, it’s me,” toured the darkroom, and flirted with another customer; and an understated, bashful-looking 1997 shot of “studio regular” Hugh Laurie, who distracted gawking fans by pointing out a photo of British boxer Martin Power. Other photos offer a brief window into the stars’ careers, including a 1997 shot of a dark-haired Kate Winslet staring straight into the camera (she had the photo taken for her role in 1998’s Hideous Kinky). The author steers clear of name-dropping with his humble, nostalgic tone, and the stylistic constraints of the photos allow their subjects’ personalities to shine through in ways that can be surprisingly intimate and revealing. This will delight film buffs, music fans, and photography lovers alike. (Apr.)