About

Phil’s memory lives on through family and friends, as well as the thousands of brilliant and awarding images he created over the past forty years as one of the UK’s leading photographers – some of which are displayed here.

Messages of condolence can be left below.

If you wish to make a donation to help others with pancreatic cancer, Phil would be very pleased if you supported either The Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund www.pcrf.org.uk or www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk

With kind regards and best wishes,
Clare and Blanche

Comments

21 responses to “About”

Simon Scott-Taylor

3rd December 2014

I first met Phil in the summer of 86 – we have been friends ever since and I cannot quite believe he is no longer with us.
As a photographer Phil was fantastic to work with, affable, talented and extremely versatile, it is no surprise he was a multiple award winner and extremely popular. I am very grateful we were able to work together on so many projects over the years and I will massively miss his enthusiasm, his expertise and most of all, his wonderful friendship. My thoughts are with Clare, Blanche and Family. xoS

PS – Phil, if you can – save us the best seats – we’ll be along before too long!

Reply
Terry Fallis

5th December 2014

I remember the first time I met Phil, he walked into a club meeting of the North Middx photographic society which I had joined about a month previous,there were only about 18 active members there but as 3 of them went to the pub after meetings it suited me. Phil approached with some prints he had and told me he was looking for a club to join. I looked at his work and told him that he wouldn’t find much of a challenge here but suggested that he tried Tottenham camera club which had about 100 members who regularly won trophies for their work. We used to meet socially for a chat over a pint and I use to admire the prints that he turned out in this massive bath in the rooms he was staying at. This was very early in his career when he was sending in work to photographic mags but his photos and the quality of them were so much superior to most work around at the time .We hadnt met up lately for some years and it was only because I emailed him to try and do so, that I learned of his death. He gave me several copies of prints that were published in the observer which I cherish. He was a lovely man and my heart goes out to his family. God bless you Phil. Terry

Reply
Duncan Marshall

8th December 2014

Phil had an amazingly generous nature, and was a pleasure to work with and to know. There was a calming presence to him that always put his subjects at easy; it shows in his portraiture. He will be greatly missed for his good humour and effortless mastery.

Reply
Louise O’Shea

11th December 2014

We have warm memories of Phil at TFC London.
He was always so happy & such an amazing photographer and a lovely person.
He was a pleasure to work with and will be very much missed by us all.

Reply
Ed Walker

17th December 2014

So sorry to hear about Phil’s passing. We had many good times together over many years and in many places. I feel very privileged to have known him and to have worked with him. A wonderful human being, a very hospitable host and a great photographer.
When doing his portraiture he always put his subjects (or his “victims” as he called them) at ease. He had the gift of making ordinary people doing everyday jobs feel special. And then he was charming and disarming when photographing celebrities and powerful business people; he was incapable of being sycophantic. All of this shows in his work.
Most of all though I will remember Phil for his quirky hobbies, his enthusiasms and engaging eccentricities, which always made him good company. Cheerio Phil, we miss you.

Reply
Nick Tallentire

17th February 2015

I was shocked to learn that Phil had died. We taught together in North London in the 1980’s. He was a talented, lovely man.

Reply
Simon Pates

23rd February 2015

I met Phil in June 1994 in Strasbourg. We worked together from that day forward and became friends. I haven’t come to terms with not being able to meet him anymore and he’s everywhere I go in London, strolling beside me with his wallet and phone in his hand. I made this film back in 2001. It was an excuse to come and see Phil and have some fun. The sound is awful, the filming is awful, but looking at it now it has become something beautiful. The idea was to focus on his love of photography and not show any of his own work but to get him to talk about the images that inspire him and tell his story. Listen carefully, watch it a few times. I think you’ll enjoy seeing him again. I can’t listen to Steve Marriot sing The Universal without thinking of Phil.

https://vimeo.com/114074206

Si.

Reply
Barbara Vermeir

25th February 2015

I called Phil at the end of last year to ask him to quote for a job, that’s when I learned of his battle with cancer. It has been on my mind to visit him for a chat and today, I went to the site to show a young designer the wonderful work, now sadly I learn I am too late to see him. It was never my intention to say goodbye to Phil, in my mind he was going on another adventure. Maybe I lacked the courage to see him diminished in any way, he was such a great photographer.

Having worked with him many times on various projects for HGV, I would love to refer you to some of the black and white portraits he did for one of our clients, Amoco, it was stunning work and we often showed them to clients to demonstrate how warm a b&w shot can be.

More than the working relationship, he became a good mate, always good to chat to and it was with pleasure I went to a few parties thrown by Phil and Clare. He was such a kind chap, always smiling and may I say, it takes confidence to wear shirts like that, bless him.

I shall remember Phil with great fondness and I am sending Clare and Blanche love and best wishes. When the pain fades you will remember him as we all do, as a wonderfully warm person who was a very talented photographer.

Barbara Vermeir
Studio Fernando Gutiérrez

Reply
Jean Cazals

5th March 2015

What more to say that has not been said already ! Simply A great guy ! At all level .
Honest, sensitive, warm, fun etc… But the cherry on the cake was his beautiful portrait and his talent in the dark room . I meet Phil in the late 80’s through friends . We did like each other straight away ! We did not see each other in regular basis but everytime it was like we saw each other the day before . A No bull shit guy which is rare those days . Integrity and passion .
I miss him dearly . We’ll be meeting again at some point like all of us!
Love you mate ! RIP. Jean

Reply
Simon Greene

1st April 2015

‘Best things’ was Phil’s regular sign off to the many notes and emails we exchanged over the course of his work with us. And that, apart from his peculiar affinity with unreliable Citroens, was exactly the man I remember. Hugely amicable, uncomplaining, always professional and enthusiastic about his work. In terms of his subjects, he made the dull shine. Long may his work and affection continue.

Reply
JohnGregson

5th May 2015

I recognized Phil as a kindred spirit and a valued friend from our first encounter at Culham College, back in 1972.
Our friendship continued into his days at Monnery Rd, London, where we shared many laughs, drinks, and many hours in his dark-room as I watched him turn dark into light, not to mention many cups of tea. He liked tea !
Phil was always amenable, amusing and great company. He was blessed with a gentle spirit.
There were so many anecdotes from our times together that I wanted to share with him, when I last spoke to him on the phone a few days before he died, but his pain and discomfort prevented that. I just hope that the words I did share with him brought back some of the good times we had together.
His photographs are a lasting testimony to his outstanding talent as a photographer.
He was also a talented craftsman and especially in ceramics.
He once stooped to the field of wedding photography when he agreed to be our wedding photographer, instead of best- man, at our wedding in 1978. And! we have the photos to prove it. A treasured album of classic Starling style shots in b/w, and signed ‘ Phil Starling Lord’.
Rest in peace brother and rise in glory.
Proverbs 12;14

Reply
Greg Woods

15th May 2015

Phil was a good guy. His easygoing charm was infectious. I’ll miss him.

Reply
Will Carleton

3rd June 2015

Very sad to hear the passing of Phil . I worked with him when I was commissioning photography at Construction Photography – mid 2000’s – Phil was the best to work with, he always got the job done no matter the hurdles thrown up on a shoot – he was keen, clever and a very versatile photographer.
Will miss your energy Phil. R.I.P.

Reply
Stephen Fenerty

11th August 2015

It’s a rare day that I don’t think about Phil in some way, at some point. I’m still struggling to grasp the fact that he’s gone – it will never seem normal, I think. What I do try to remember is all the fun and laughs we had, in so many cities around Europe, out and about in London, and of course at Monnery Road. Weeping with laughter. One night in particular when he showed something very special to Patesy and me, at our prompting, that we’d never seen before. Patesy, Phil and me would have probably had our annual summer outing by now; it would have invariably involved The French House at some point, and almost certainly ended up at The Hideaway in Tufnell Park. Today, I was back in touch with a mutual friend from back in our SAS days, and Bill wrote to me: “I’m so sorry to hear about Phil. Yes, I was a big fan of his work and an even bigger fan of him as a person. An artist with integrity indeed! “

Reply
Raf Amato

27th October 2015

Just found out about Phil. I commissioned him on several shoots a few years back. He was a pleasure to work with; informed, creative, energetic. What a loss. A great legacy of images to leave behind. Thanks Phil.

Reply
Eric Holding

14th May 2016

I came looking for Phil online to recommend him as the best portrait photographer I had ever come across – he had an incredible ability to put people at their ease and capture the essence and eccentricities of who they were.

Really saddened to find he has left us before his time, I would’ve loved to work with him again – I guess we should be grateful he has left behind a treasure trove of images that remind us of the way he saw the world.

Reply
Simon pates

2nd July 2016

Pottery then punks
Then high up on gibs
In underground tunnels
On Waterloo Bridge.

Black and white or process
Jpeg or tif

Is there any coffee?
Any juice?
When’s the next victim?
There’s a Henry Moore
He could sit in.
Where’s my light meter?
I’ll be back in a min.

From the top of a multi story
Or starring with a gold fish
Submerged in swimming pool
Or sat in a sat dish
Shoving lenses up peoples noses
Lying down in a bed of roses
A plethora of poses
You’ll look great he explains,
As the shutter opens then closes.

From beneath his hood
with a loop in one eye
He approaches the victim
Who says, everything alright?
The lights too slow he replies
Then pauses
To avoid the trouble that causes
Can you stay very, very still?
Yes, says the victim, yes I will
Back in the darkness
He sticks out the trigger
From under the hood a barely audible snigger
A minute passes.
The victim sums up the courage and nervously stutters
Everything ok?
Wunderbar! Ticket!
And in a flash he releases the shutter!

Are you busy
I’m asked on the phone
It’s so quiet here
We’re doomed.
I’m working on the boat
Oh I bought a new lens
Are you coming to London soon.
I just wish it wasn’t so slow
Its a really good lens though!
I’ll use it on Wednesday
300 feet up on the gib of a crane.
On a big job for Costains.

No regrets
he whispered
No regrets he said
Before I turned and left.

Just one last thing
Before I end
I’ve forgotten my wallet
Has anyone got a tenner I can lend?

Reply
Tessa O’Neill

5th October 2016

I had the pleasure of working with Phil during my time at Abbott. He was always such a patient and kind presence – and of course an extremely talented photographer. He was even generous enough to be filmed for a daft “how to take good photos” video for our news network.
I’m so sorry I have only come to hear of Phil’s passing now. My belated and heartfelt condolences to his friends and family.

Reply
Barbara Nourse

31st January 2019

So very saddened to hear of Phil’s passing. We were both students at Culham College in the 1970’s, though in different years. I remember looking at his photos and cracked pots (by design!) I remember him as a very kind and caring person, with a good sense of humour. My deepest condolences to his family. Barbara Nourse (nee Stansfield).

Reply
Simon Greene

4th December 2019

Great to look again at Phil and his work – such a fabulous chap and with an uncanny ability to get that shot…

Reply
michael tabecki

21st December 2022

I am so saddened to read of Phil’s passing. He & I were in the same class at Impington Village College for 5 years from 1965 onwards. At school he was known as ‘Birdy’. After leaving school I remember him becoming interested in photography and how struck I was by his early work, particularly one b&w image of a heavily tattooed punk exposing the inside of his bottom lip (also tattooed!) – I believe this image was shot in ?Belgium. Of course our lives diverged after leaving school and we lost contact, however, we were fortunate to bump into him at Snape Maltings ~ 25 years ago and I remember he had a fabulous classic Citroen car.
I’m so glad he became so successful as a photographer. RIP Phil.

Reply

About

Comments

21 responses to “About”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply