THE SPIRIT OF RUGBY
Capturing the Spirit of Rugby – Twickenham Stadium
For the centenary celebrations at Twickenham Stadium, we were commissioned to photograph the legendary Spirit of Rugby sculptures - four monumental bronze figures by sculptor Gerald Laing that sit above the West Gates of the stadium. These iconic pieces, created in the 1990s, represent rugby’s energy and ethos and had only ever been photographed from ground level before our project.
The brief from the World Rugby Museum was simple in concept but exceptionally demanding in execution: produce a set of images that revealed these sculptures in unprecedented detail, capturing every nuance of form, texture and expression in a way never before achieved.
A Technical Challenge Like No Other
This wasn’t a standard architectural shoot. The four sculptures rise high above the stadium entrance — perched many metres above ground — and for this project we essentially built a studio in mid-air. Working at height, exposed to the elements and with limited space to set equipment, we needed to rethink traditional studio lighting techniques. There were wind gusts, odd angles and access challenges that made every light position and cable run a technical puzzle.
To capture the statues under studio-quality flash lighting, we rigged multiple lighting units and modifiers at height and photographed each sculpture methodically.
Our goal was to reveal what the eye could not easily see from below — the fine craftsmanship, the sculptor’s hand in every curve, plane and expression — and to give these figures the presence and gravitas of fine art portraits.
The result was nothing short of transformative.
Revealing the Sculpture in a New Light
Under controlled, directional flash lighting, the sculptures seemed to come alive. What once appeared flat and distant from ground level suddenly revealed depth, tonal nuance and powerful character. Every contour of muscle and garment, every subtle gesture in the bronze, became visible. Faces that had previously been seen only as silhouettes were now presented with life and intensity. The work illuminated not just the physical statues but the artistry and heritage they represent.
What we captured went beyond documentation — it was a visual revelation. For the World Rugby Museum, it meant preserving a historic artwork in a way that stood on its own as a body of visual art, befitting the stature of the centenary celebrations.
A Testament to Vision and Craft
This project stands as one of the most technically ambitious lighting shoots we have undertaken — not because of complexity for its own sake, but because the location and the subject demanded it. The Spirit of Rugby sculptures are monuments to the sport’s soul, and we approached them with the same respect, precision and creativity that went into their creation.
Every technical decision, every light placement and angle was made not just to illuminate bronze, but to bring forth the intensity of spirit beneath it.
