A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to photograph Kyle John Suckling a widely respected and acclaimed Irish singer songwriter. Kyle is embarking on the release of his debut album entitled “I am Tree” due out later this year these catchy, beautifully crafted songs, have been compared to some of Robbie Williams’ best work and to Oasis at their most melodic.

Photographing music promo shots definitely isn’t an easy task, there is what you want, the artist wants and the audience expects.

I was determined to avoid the cliche photograph but that is definitely a challenge. I shot Kyle in a number of locations and sent him through a dozen of so photographs that I thought were ‘acceptable’ although I still don’t know which of the set works best. There are five in the flickr set and I would love to know which you prefer.

It was a great challenge and Kyle is one of those genuinely talented people who is shy on self promotion. One of the perks was an early copy of “I am Tree” which an amazing piece of work. The album is the culmination of many years’ soul searching, collaborations and encouragement from some of the world’s most influential artists and an unmistakeable foundation in Nashville, where Kyle bought his first Gibson guitar, while touring America with Rufus Wainwright and Imogen Heap.

Having been trained by a classical musician, Kyle lived in L.A. where Charlie Midnight (Joe Cocker/James Brown) produced one of his first songs. From there, sharing stages with the likes of Van Morrison and Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy) has become commonplace for KJS with his band consisting of Waterboys members and some of Van Morrison’s own band.

If you are looking for a new artist to add to your iTunes playlist “I am Tree” will definitely going to end up on your high rotation list. Check out  Kyle’s website for information on how to get your copy.