British photographer Kenton Thatcher has captured the essence of Portuguese personalities for more than 30 years

By: Alexandra Stilwell

Photo: Kenton Thatcher

Behind the lens

Photography is a form of communication, a visual language that is understood by all without the need for translation. For Kenton Thatcher, a British photographer living in Lisbon, it is a form of expression he discovered at a very young age.

Kenton Thatcher

Originally from North London, Kenton explains: “The reason I initially got into photography was that my father was one of these obsessed amateur photographers. And I’ve learnt over the years that many amateur photographers are sometimes more obsessed with photography than professionals.”

More than a hobby inherited from his father, who owned a large collection of cameras and had an impressive dark room at home, photography became a means of communication for Kenton. It was a way to express himself as he struggled with dyslexia at school.

Kenton Thatcher with Xutos e Pontapés

He admits to facing learning difficulties: “My escapism came, in part, through photography because I find it really hard to concentrate on books. However, I discovered that taking pictures allowed me to express myself in a certain way.”

His ‘aha moment’ came when he decided to take his camera to school and document the kids in his classroom. “They viewed me, I think, as someone who didn’t care too much. A bit of a dropout. So, I went to school, took these pictures, and then went home to process the film. I worked through the night on these big prints, and the next day, I showed them to the kids at school. And it was the first time, at 13 or 14, that I got some recognition for something I did,” he recalls.

When he was 16, he received an offer to work in a studio in London. A unique opportunity that opened many doors and took him around the world as an assistant to some of the most influential photographers in London.

“Unfortunately, in Portugal, those opportunities are scarce, which is why I work with many assistants from the schools. At least they can gain some experience,” he admits.

Durão Barroso

His love affair with Portugal and the southern lifestyle began in the late 80s when he came to Lisbon and the Algarve to assist various photographers on shoots for clothing catalogues.

“I have always loved Portugal and Lisbon. There was always something here. I loved that way of life where you go to dinner at 8 or 9 o’clock. Then go for coffee afterwards at 10 or 11 o’clock,” followed by a drink at a club. “For me, Portugal ticked a lot of boxes.”

Joana Vasconcelos

In 2006, he set up his first photography studio in Lisbon’s trendy LX Factory. Since then, he has shot album covers for Portuguese rock bands and worked on iconic advertising campaigns, such as the famous Alface (lettuce) campaign for the Amoreiras Shopping Centre. He also collaborated on institutional projects and with charities, which led him to be named on Queen Elizabeth II’s Honours List in 2022 and be distinguished with an MBE for services to the creative arts in Portugal and charity.

Rita Blanco

In April this year, Kenton achieved one of his most anticipated goals: a retrospective exhibition of his work and career in Portugal, titled Sessions – 33 Years of Portuguese Icons.

Held at the Sociedade Nacional das Belas Artes in the heart of Lisbon, the exhibition featured more than 120 portraits of Portuguese personalities, including musicians, visual artists, sportspeople and even politicians.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kenton Thatcher MBE (@kenton.thatcher)

This collection was more than an exhibition; it was a tribute to the individuals who have influenced Portuguese society, seen through the eyes of a photographer whose art is deeply personal, intuitive and profoundly human.

The candid silver-haired Brit reflects on the exhibition’s opening, which was attended by many of its subjects: “One of the beautiful things is that, probably, I would say 70% of the people or more, came to the exhibition. Not only that, but all of these artists, whether architects, musicians, actors, or whatever, are all from the same era. So, for everyone who came, it was very much a trip down memory lane.”

Paula Rego

Inspired by an exhibition of the work of American contemporary photographer Richard Avedon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, he decided to put on his own show. “I’d already been living in Lisbon for five or six years, and when I saw the exhibition, I thought, I’ve never seen anything like this in Portugal. I have to bring this here,” he recalls. “There were these portraits of Marilyn Monroe, the Kennedys, or Charlie Chaplin”, in a similar style to his work; they were contemporary.

“The backgrounds that I shoot are always very neutral, grey, white or black. So you don’t identify with the time. It becomes timeless,” explains Kenton.

Zé Pedro, Xutos e Pontapés

This personal project took him 25 years to complete as he developed it parallel to his work. “I would finish a job and use the opportunity to do a portrait for myself. I would take this jumper with me,” he says, indicating a black and white portrait of himself in a woolly jumper.

“I would put Cristiano Ronaldo in the pullover. Or José Mourinho. Like a money box for a rainy day, you sometimes put a coin or some notes in for the holidays. At the end of the shoot, I would take the opportunity to take these and put them in the money box for the exhibition.”

Joaquim De Almeida

Although he has photographed various international personalities, such as ex-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, and tennis legend Maria Sharapova, he wanted to “give back” to Portugal through this exhibition.

José Condessa

To perpetuate this project, he published a book compiling three decades of outstanding portraits and the stories behind his most iconic shots, such as the shoot with footballer Rui Costa, which changed his approach to portraits, and another with artist Manuel Cargaleiro, which resulted in a unique piece of art.