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Passport Photo Service

An Unexpected Archive of Celebrity Portraits

Philip Sharkey

$39.95

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English
Phaidon Press Ltd
30 April 2026
Since opening its doors in 1953, Passport Photo Service, an unassuming studio on Oxford Street in London, photographed thousands of people for passports, visas, and green cards

and some of them just happened to be famous. It was a family affair, run by professional boxer turned photographer Dave Sharkey, his wife, Ann, and eventually, their son Philip. Conveniently located near the US embassy and directly opposite the department store Selfridges, the studio became the go-to place for passport photos thanks to its

Ready in 10 Minutes

slogan, offering same-day service before anyone else in the city was able to provide such a quick turnaround.

This charming book is a collection of more than 300 never-before-published portraits taken over the course of six decades, including actors, writers, musicians, politicians, athletes, and more. More than 100 photographs are accompanied by anecdotes written by Sharkey. Errol Flynn pushed open the door and, hands on hips, boomed,

Yep, it s me.

Sharkey s uncle Peter suggested that Bianca Jagger remove her hat for her photo, as the government might not accept the picture. She responded,

They will for me.

She didn t come back for a retake. Magician Uri Geller bent a spoon. As Sharkey remembers,

We didn t ask him to. It was our only spoon.

Perfect for the photo historian, nostalgic, or celebrity buff, Passport Photo Service celebrates the story of a family-run business, revealing how even passport photographs can still be powerful portraits.

'For decades Philip Sharkey modestly ruled the London roost of passport and visa photography: the greatest, most trusted and admired practitioner in the field. Those lucky enough to have come before Philip s lens always left feeling that we had participated in a ritual that elevated us to a special kind of club. This wonderfully produced memoir vividly brings back to life a vanished time in the capital. Delicious.

Stephen Fry
By:  
Imprint:   Phaidon Press Ltd
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 178mm,  Width: 120mm,  Spine: 26mm
Weight:   520g
ISBN:   9781837291229
ISBN 10:   1837291225
Pages:   256
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming

Philip Sharkey is a photographer living in London. He began working at his family’s business, Passport Photo Service, when he was sixteen, until it closed in 2019 after sixty-six years. Sharkey is a member of the Boxing Writers Club and a recipient of the prestigious Reg Gutteridge Award for services to boxing media.

Reviews for Passport Photo Service: An Unexpected Archive of Celebrity Portraits

‘A wonderful collection of famous faces as they appeared in everyday travel documents.' –  Kirkus, STARRED review  ‘At this truly radical moment in our current upside-down, out-of-control world, the heat of cultural fame without substance is sure to burn many into irrelevance. Forget Met Balls or magazine covers – being HUMAN is the new celebrity. As we watch power-hungry, mind bogglingly rich nobodies being worshipped as somebodies, what a relief it is to soak in the pages of this perfect book, filled with so many brilliant cultural legends as their true everyday human selves, snapped simply on their way to pick up their passports. Passport Photo Service hits the nail on the head, reminding us that we are all just regular people after all, and it’s what’s inside that counts.’ – Kim Hastreiter, Cultural Anthropologist/Co-founder of PAPER Magazine ‘An A5 hardback in navy blue reminiscent of the old-style British travel document. Inside are never-before-seen images of film and music icons of the 20th and early 21st centuries … the memories Sharkey and his late father have of meeting these often-enigmatic figures give us even more of an insight into the real people lurking behind the famous facades.’ – Telegraph LUXURY ‘A remarkable slice of visual history hidden in plain sight … In an era dominated by curated self-image, Passport Photo Service celebrates the quiet power of unguarded portraits and reminds us that even the most functional photographs can carry enduring emotional and historical weight.’ – All About Photo  ‘Will delight film buffs, music fans, and photography lovers alike.’ – Publishers Weekly


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