Ami Barwell Rock 'n' Roll Photographer profile picture

Ami Barwell Rock 'n' Roll Photographer

Mick Rock can kiss my ass...

About Me

Ami Barwell is the subject. She is the portrait of our vulnerable flash. She is delicate and subtle, just faintly kissing us, individually, with her ethereal approach to an inside world of sorry fatalists. Some refuse to acknowledge photography as one of the fine arts. Some dismiss Rock & Roll as noise pollution for hopeless underachievers. Fair enough. When idealistic dreamers meet nihilistic, narcicists... are there other facets?
God forgive me, I was under the impression that the counterculture was winning. Fact is, there's just not enough time. I've seen plenty of rock photos. What's behind that glance, young juggernaut? Can the lens reveal before you unravel?... tick tock.
When the wilds roll up under your hide-out, they may take over the settlement... kick down the door of your necessary function and black down your sheets with hard belts of madness.
To introduce a glorious example of creative genius at work... meet Ami Barwell.
Ami is my angel, exploring the interiors so sweetly that I fall in love with every encounter, without failure. She photographs me while I struggle with my natural, creeping nervousness. She's the only artist that I've ever met to sincerely recognize the contemplative moments of a nobody, with a messianic complex, and capture that complexity, isolating its innocence.
Ami, you make me feel like a beautiful person. Your photographs tell the truth, which, in my opinion, makes you the most important music photographer in the world, not to mention an extremely unique individual that I humbly respect and admire.
To those who have yet to have a session with Ami Barwell, when you do (if you do) consider it an honor, she's truly a pleasure to work with and a brilliant talent.
For what it's worth, she's the only one I trust behind the lens.
Keep on Ami, you're amazing; a bright star shining darkly.
-Bobby Harlow
The GO

My Interests

I'd like to meet:


The World's leading Rock 'n' Roll Photographer. Album / Single Covers, Press Shots, Portraits & Live Shots of the world's top bands and solo artists.

The ORIGINAL Music Photographer.

Yorkshire-bred, London-based Rock ‘n’ Roll photographer Ami Barwell has been shooting within the music industry for the past 9 years. Striking and atmospheric, her honest, sexy photographs capture the very depths of the subjects’ soul, which has earned her the title of the 'World's Leading Live Music Photographer'. Her photography – both portraiture and live has gained Worldwide critical acclaim and never fails to impress. It encapsulates the true spirit of rock 'n' roll - passion, emotions, sweat, atmosphere, energy and soul.

Ami has a wide range of clients including EMI, Virgin, SONY BMG, Classic Rock Magazine, Warners, The Grammy Awards, Universal and Atlantic records. Working with artists as diverse as Radiohead, Lenny Kravitz, Interpol, Motorhead, Editors, REM, Ian Brown, Macy Gray, The Hives, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Fish, Paul Weller, Kings of Leon, Snow Patrol, New York Dolls and The White Stripes.

She has travelled the world as a tour photographer with bands such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Snow Patrol, The Cooper Temple Clause and The Blood Brothers. Working with BRMC as their Official Photographer for 5 years – she has photographed everything from relaxed personal shots, candid tour-bus antics, intimate backstage emotions and raw, on stage, high-energy live shots. Ami was also Director of Photography for the recent video for 'Weight Of The World'.

Ami gains the trust and respect of the bands and artists she photographs, leading to ongoing working relationships, which often end up in life-long friendship. Working with numerous bands continually over many years; one such relationship being The Cooper Temple Clause – whose latest and last ever album 'Make This Your Own' she produced the artwork for - taking intimate soulful portraits, photographing the band before, on stage and after numerous gigs, achieving timeless and exclusive shots.

The bands and artists Ami works with trust her and grant her unlimited access. She in return gives them amazing photographs and captures the precise rock 'n' roll moment. Ami captures something nobody else can.

Cage The Elephant - 'Free Love' Limited Edition Picture Disc 7".

Bang Gang - 'Ghosts From The Past' Album Cover.

The Cooper Temple Clause - 'Make This Your Own' Album Photography.

Interpol - 'Antics' Album Photography.

Editors - 'The Back Room' Album Photography.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'HOWL' Album Photography.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'Take Them On, On Your Own' Album Photography.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'Whatever Happened To My Rock 'n' Roll (Punk Song)' Single Cover.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'Weight Of The World' Single Cover.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'HOWL' Television Advertisement - Stills Photographer.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'Take Them On, On Your Own' Television Advertisement - Stills Photographer.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Album 'BRMC' Television Advertisement - Stills Photographer.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'Weight Of The World' Video - Director Of Photography.

The Cribs - 'The Cribs' Album Cover.

The GO - 'Supercuts' Album Cover.

The GO - 'American Pig' Single Cover.

Brisa Roche - 'Takes' Album cover.

Bernard Fanning - 'Tea and Sympathy' Album Cover.

The Music - 'Live at The Blank Canvas' DVD - Video-Camera woman.

The Music - 'The Truth Is No words' Video - Video-Camera woman.

ARCTIC MONKEYS
ANDREW WK
ALBERT HAMMOND JR.
Bryan Adams
…AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD
ALFIE
EROL ALKAN
IAN BROWN
BECK
BLONDIE
BLUR
BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB
BADLY DRAWN BOY
THE BLOOD BROTHERS
DEVENDRA BANHART
BLOOD RED SHOES
CSS
CORINNE BAILEY RAE
THE CHARLATANS
GRAHAM COXON
THE COOPER TEMPLE CLAUSE
CAGE THE ELEPHANT
THE CRIBS
JARVIS COCKER
COLD WAR KIDS
PETE DOHERTY
THE DARKNESS
THE DATSUNS
DWARVES
THE D4
THE DISTILLERS
KIMYA DAWSON
EDITORS
THE EIGHTIES MATCHBOX B-LINE DISASTER
FOO FIGHTERS
FRANZ FERDINAND
FISH
BERNARD FANNING
FONDA 500
FORTUNE DRIVE
THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE QUEEN
GOMEZ
THE GO
THE GLITTERATI
GOLDIE LOOKIN’ CHAIN
HANOI ROCKS
HIM
THE HIVES
HOT HOT HEAT
HAR MAR SUPERSTAR
HUSH THE MANY
IGGY POP
IRON MAIDEN
INTERPOL
BILLY IDOL
iLiKETRAiNS
JET
JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION
JURASSIC 5
LENNY KRAVITZ
KINGS OF LEON
KASABIAN
THE KILLS
THE LIBERTINES
THE LEVELLERS
LOST PROPHETS
MOTORHEAD
MEATLOAF
MC5
MYSTERY JETS
MAXIMO PARK
THE MUSIC
MACY GRAY
STEPHEN MALKMUS
MOHAIR
NEW YORK DOLLS
NEWTON FAULKNER
BETH ORTON
OCEAN COLOUR SCENE
OPERAHOUSE
THE PIGEON DETECTIVES
PAVEMENT
THE POLYPHONIC SPREE
PUNISH THE ATOM
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
RADIOHEAD
REM
RAZORLIGHT
ANDY ROURKE
RADIO 4
BRISA ROCHE
SNOW PATROL
THE SUBWAYS
SUPERGRASS
STARSAILOR
BILLY SHEEHAN
ERIC SARDINAS
THE STREETS
SUPER FURY ANIMALS
THE SCARE
THE STEPS
MICHAEL SCHENKER
THE THRILLS
TERROVISION
TURIN BREAKS
THURSDAY
TOURISTE
VELVET REVOLVER
STEVE VAI
THE VINES
THE WHITE STRIPES
PAUL WELLER
THE WITNESSES
WHIRLWIND HEAT
THE YEAH YEAH YEAHS
YOUNG HEART ATTACK
THE ZUTONS

"Your photos are GREAT... I love them... You're the BEST". - IAN BROWN.

”Your photos so fucking kick ass”. - Didz Hammond - DIRTY PRETTY THINGS.

"WOW!". - DAVID BLAINE.

“I really like the photos you did of our band...and you look very innocent and beautiful, so everyone needs to hear that once in a while right?”. - JACK WHITE - THE WHITE STRIPES.

“I don't want to have my photo taken by anybody but you. Mick Rock can kiss my ass”. - Bobby Harlow - THE GO.

“You ARE the best! Those photos are friggin' awesome!! Wow..." - NEW YORK DOLLS.

"You’re the best"... You are brilliant, We love you". - BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB.

“You asked me to dance... I checked out your website, your photographs are great. I dig them, Nice one!" - Daniel Kessler - INTERPOL.

”Ami your photos are perfect thank you so very much” - THE BLOOD BROTHERS.

"Ami Barwell, whose stylish live shots have helped make her one of the UK's leading music photographers". - CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE.

“I love your work so much.... you are one of the best rock photographers I've ever seen… keep up the good work”. - SUB POP RECORDS.

“Fucking hell they're brilliant!!! They look amazing, Wow, gonna look at them again now :) We think you're bloody great!”. - Mark Bowen - WICHITA RECORDS.

“Ami! So fucking insane! Absolutely amazing... you are an insane photographer. You make us look the way I want us to look when I see photos 50 years from now”. - Steve Bays - HOT HOT HEAT.

"What can i say? Photos are better than you knew they would be. Pennie who? Corrine who? Thank you... talent will out" - THE LEVELLERS.

"Thanks for a chilled afternoon and all the smiles." - FISH.

”These shots are amazing, Ami!!! You've made all the guys look gorgeous. And so classy - like shots in a fashion feature of a lifestyle magazine”. - SONY / BMG RECORDS.

"Loving the pics Ami, they are sex!". - EDITORS.

“You really are great... you do a great job... We love you… you make the world a better place... we don't deserve you.........! - YOUNG HEART ATTACK.

”Really love your work, that Interpol shit is awesome" - NEW YORK DOLLS.

"This is fucking fabulous! Honestly I am so pleased I can't tell you - they're amazing, really amazing" - EDITORS.

“Fucking great stuff... You are amazing, as always!!... best picture ever”. THE COOPER TEMPLE CLAUSE.

"HOTT photos... and you have Rad hair!” - THE KILLERS.

“Wow, thanks very much for the shots, the photos you took of us are AMAZING, we're really impressed with them”. - THE CRIBS.

"This Woman rules! She sees things no one else can". - YOUNG HEART ATTACK

"You are THE most talented person I know... and I got a hell of a lot of respect for that. xxx" - THE HIGH SOCIETY.

“Liked the pics, liked your shapes - and you were kind of cute!” - MEW.

“Nice Photos!!! You rock. :-)”. - BIG HASSLE, NYC.

“Love those pics, very cool! Knew from your site that ya had it goin' on, but WOW!”. - Tom Potter - DETROIT CITY COUNCIL.

"Your website is amazing, your work is fantastic, and I would join the fan club if you had one". - WRONG RECORDS (NYC)

"You're fucking awesome!". - XL RECORDINGS.

"You seem to be doing grade A shit, what can I say? I don't know how you do it, an uncanny knack for capturing the... "je ne sais quoi. You're an artist with immense potential, some realised, some not ". - THE DARKNESS.

“Your pictures are really absolutely perfect. They're exactly what we wanted. No lame ass posing, no attitude - they're just us being us. Thank you so much, they look great”. - THE BLOOD BROTHERS.

“Ami was one of the coolest chicks any of us has ever met... It was fresh as hell”. - EVEN THE ODD.

"Great shots as always Ami. Very impressed… photos are so amazing". Robert Levon Been - BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB.

"We love you Ami, you’re a UK classic – you're brilliant!". - THE DWARVES.

"Thanks for today I loved it". - Bernard Fanning - POWDERFINGER.

"Wow... I think you are one of the best rock photographers I've seen since Linda McCartney... no bullshit!". - AMPLIFIED HEAT.

“I had a little dream bout you last nite!... Come and take some pictures of me”. - ROB HARVEY - THE MUSIC.

“We like, you tigress among photographers!!!!". - LIZARD KING RECORDS.

“Thanks for the shoot on Monday - the band really enjoyed working with you - thanks for being nice and flexible, I guess not every photographer is willing to jump into a skip (or the gents toilet)”. - ORGY RECORDS.

“She's our photographer, she's the best!". - PETER HAYES - BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB.

“Fuckin' ace photos... very cool”. - THE D4.

"Had a great afternoon, let's do it again sometime". - IAN BROWN.

“Your pictures are stunning. How can we arrange for you to take some of us?” - THE WILDHEARTS.

"... what a fantastic photo shoot. Both the group shots and individual shots are beautifully posed an lit. You've also managed to capture the individuals' personalities beautifully, particularly in the individual portraits. I'm just going through them now to choose the contenders for press shots etc and am spoiled for choice. Thank you and well done!!!" - MARRAKESH RECORDS.

"I've just been looking through your website and I found some amazing piccies from back in the days... they bring back such fond memories. It's pretty much my favourite photo of me! I think it sums up That era of The Darkness perfectly!" - JUSTIN HAWKINS.