09/02/2026
What an honour to be invited to Lady Margaret Hall to photograph the unveiling of a new portrait of Malala Yousafzai, painted so beautifully by Isabella Watling. Standing in front of the work, it was impossible not to feel the weight of the moment; a stunning piece of art, but also a historic addition to the walls of Oxford.
Photographing Malala alongside her portrait carried a particular responsibility. I felt a real mix of privilege and nerves as I tried to do justice to both Malala and the painting. For the fellow photography and lighting enthusiasts: I used a Godox V1 with a collapsible beauty dish to my left to give Malala a soft, flattering key light, and a second V1 with barn doors carefully focused onto the portrait to balance the exposure between her and the artwork.
The atmosphere in the LMH dining hall was grand and full of warmth. You could sense how proud Malala’s friends and family were, and how much this occasion meant to everyone present.
Congratulations to Malala, to the artist Isabella Watling for her remarkable portrait, and to everyone at Lady Margaret Hall and the Oxford Pakistan Programme who helped bring this moment together. It was a genuine privilege to quietly document an occasion that will sit in the college’s history for years to come.
For more about the portrait and its significance, see the article at Lady Margaret Hall. LINK IN BIO.
