Portrait Session: Pierce Joyce at The Cottage
This shoot took place in one of Cardiff’s most lived-in corners. A pub called The Cottage on St Mary Street, Cardiff. It’s not the kind of place that pretends to be anything it’s not. The windows are heavy with history, and the air carries the echo of a hundred conversations. That’s exactly why we chose it. I’ve never been interested in perfection. I’m interested in stories; and this place has plenty.
Joyce's music is steeped in introspection, soft performances and wry humour, with lyrical themes that explore vulnerability, self-doubt and fleeting moments of joy. Real music that says real things that really matter.
Taking to the stage at venues such as Bath Chapel Arts Centre, The Flute & Tankard, The Moon and Tiny Rebel Cardiff, Joyce's performances are engaging explorations of the human mind, with melancholy and humour delivered in unequal measure.
Visually, we pulled a bit of influence from old portrait work; Leonard Cohen's brooding elegance and the gritty, jazz-stained energy of Tom Waits. But this wasn't a tribute act. This was Cardiff 2025, with our own fingerprints all over it. The goal wasn’t to recreate old moods - it was to channel the spirit of those artists who never fit neatly into any box. Just like Pierce, and just like the city itself.
There’s a certain poetry in how this shoot came together. Pierce sitting slouched into the pub’s leather armrest, holding out a flyer that reads “Millions got a pay rise” - not staged, but it fell perfectly into place. That kind of moment says a lot with very little. We didn’t have to fake grit. It was there already—in the glass, the wood, the overcast light, and the slight wear in the eyes.
Up close, you get the details that matter; the tension in the jaw, the weight in the gaze, the quiet defiance. Step back, and you see the musician in his element, tucked in the arcades with his guitar strapped on, looking like he’s halfway between a gig and a protest. That balance -that raw humanity - is what I’m always chasing in my work.
I don’t direct too much. I prefer to watch. To wait. I shoot in real places with natural light because there’s nowhere to hide. And that’s what makes it real. What we got with Pierce wasn’t a clean, polished promo set—it was a portrait of an artist caught mid-thought. Honest. Intentional. A bit weathered. Exactly how it should be.
This shoot was as much about Cardiff as it was about Pierce. It’s the kind of work I want to keep making; where the personality leads, and the city hums beneath the surface.
If you're a musician or in a band and want promo shots that actually feel like you; none of that staged plastic nonsense - drop me a line. Reach out through the contact form or email me directly. Let's make something real.