📸 Framing Life: Hugo Burnand on Royal Portraits, Photographic Joy & Seeing the Unseen
What happens when the photographer steps into the story? In this deeply personal and wide-ranging episode of The Kollective Institute of Ideas, we sit down with Hugo Burnand—the iconic British photographer whose lens has captured everyone from Victoria Beckham to Margaret Thatcher, Nigella Lawson to King Charles III.
From royal weddings to rave parties in the woods, Hugo has photographed some of the most significant public moments and quietly intimate private ones of our time. But as he reveals in this conversation, photography is not just his profession—it’s his emotional anchor, creative outlet, and lifelong teacher.
🧠 What You'll Learn from Hugo Burnand:
📷 The Emotional Power of Photography
Hugo shares how photography helped him navigate a depressive period—turning his camera inward to document everyday sadness and slowly rediscover beauty in wilted flowers, messy beds, and rainy windows.
His story is a powerful reminder that creativity can be healing—and that photographing what you feel, not what looks “good,” can bring surprising emotional release.
👑 Behind the Scenes of Royal Portraiture
Hugo reveals how he approaches photographing members of the royal family—including personal moments with King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and portraits of Prince William and Princess Catherine’s wedding.
His portrait process is deeply collaborative: “A good portrait,” he says, “is a conversation between the photographer and the sitter.”
🥳 The Energy of Events
From Tatler parties to high-society weddings, Hugo likens event photography to playing a contact sport—constantly chasing “the red dot of energy” in a room.
He explains the difference between static party shots and images that feel alive, full of movement, personality, and atmosphere.
🖼️ Photos as Heirlooms
Hugo speaks movingly about the importance of photography as personal history—sharing the only image he has of his mother, who died when he was one, and the annual portraits he takes of his four children.
His portrait “Wife and Four Children to Support” is a sculptural image that captures a family’s resilience after his daughter’s cancer diagnosis.
💥 Unexpected Moments (and Quirky Mishaps)
From chaotic coronation rehearsals to being nearly punched by a footballer, Hugo shares some of the stranger, funnier, and unexpectedly emotional moments he’s experienced behind the lens.
He recalls a rave photo mistakenly attributed to him (taken by an assistant) that captured the chaos of a dance floor like a Renaissance painting.
🎯 Key Insights from the Episode:
📸 Everyone can be photogenic—beauty often lies in expression, emotion, and vulnerability.
🧠 Photographers often sense more than people realise—sometimes even before the person themselves.
🫂 A great portrait is never just about the subject—it’s shaped by trust, energy, and shared intention.
🏞️ Photography teaches us to look again—at people, at light, at our own emotions.
✨ Behind every iconic image is an ordinary human moment, seen with care and presence.
💬 Quotes to Remember
“Photography has given me everything—emotionally, physically, creatively. It’s my entire life.”
“I don’t want to steal a moment. I want to be present for it.”
“Photographs are not just pictures. They are heirlooms. They carry memory, meaning, and emotion.”
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Hugo Burnand here:
👉 https://linktr.ee/thekollectiveinstituteofideas
