Sam Barker is a multiple award-winning photographer on both sides of the Atlantic including a D&AD Yellow Pencil for HSBCs Living River on Gatwick Airport's Skybridge in 2016. Sam's signature cinematic lighting style has led him to be commissioned for campaigns for the likes of Hugo Boss, BBC, Glenfiddich and Land Rover, shooting subjects as diverse as Lewis Hamilton, tribal chiefs in Africa and the world's most successful CEOs.
The youngest son of 15 children by the poet George Barker, Sam spent his childhood in rural Norfolk surrounded by artists and eccentrics. After a near fatal motorbike accident aged 19, facing amputation and unable to work, he enrolled in the prestigious London College of Printing. Sam graduated with a Distinction in Photography and a job as an assistant for Matthew Donaldson.
Within a short period of time his work was spotted by The Telegraph, shooting amongst others, a then rather green, Benedict Cumberbatch for Sue Steward on the Arts pages. Commissions started to follow from the likes of The Sunday Times, GQ Magazine and Harper's Bazaar. It was not long before his work was picked up by worldwide publishing houses and advertising agencies with commissions for sport, finance and portraiture.
Sam is also a regular contributor to the National Portrait Gallery where he has 14 portraits in the permanent collection including David Attenborough to commemorate his 90th Birthday and Tim Peake to celebrate his first mission into space. Barker has also collaborated with Irvine Welsh on his past five book covers.
Sam Barker now shares his time between London and New York. His passion for great pictures and adventure has also seen him shoot travel stories and personal projects in Iraq, Ethiopia, and Columbia and Bhutan... just don't let him get on a motorbike.
You can keep up with Sam at https://www.instagram.com/sambarkerphoto/
AOP finalist 2022
2020 CF Awards - Gold Impact Report
2018 IPA International Photography Awards - Global Shell Campaign - Advertising - 2nd Place
2018 IPA International Photography Awards - Portraits of Truckers - Portrait - Honorable
2018 IPA International Photography Awards - What Matters Inside - Motion - Honorable
2018 IPA International Photography Awards - British Airways Nashville - Advertising - Honorable
2016 IPA International Photography Awards - Finlandia-Advertising
2016 IPA International Photography Awards - Culture -Charro
2016 IPA International Photography Awards - Culture -La Pelea
2016 IPA International Photography Awards-Fine Art Portrait - Wolmer Gardens
2016 D&AD Awards - Yellow Pencil-The Living River
2015 IPA International Photography Awards - Modern Slavery -Advertising
2015 IPA International Photography Awards - Seaside Rock -Portraits
Lens Modern Retrospective 2014- Luxembourg {collective}
Arles France - 2014
One Life - 2013 International Photography Prize Portraits
Creative Revue Best 2013 - Editorial Series
Kontinent Award 2014 - Nature
Kontinent Award 2014 - Single Portrait
AOP 2014 - Best Single Portrait
AOP 2014 - Best Series Portrait
Faces /Groucho Club
Inside out - Prisoners Perceptions Shoreditch Gallery
Darien Gap - Portraits / Washington Native American Museum {collective}
Omo Valley Blackall Gallery
National Portrait Gallery - 14 Portraits Permanent collection
Arles 2014
Lensmodern collective , Luxembourg
