Celebrity Portraits From Britain's Answer to Annie Leibovitz on Exhibit at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park March 3 - April 24, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Talking Pictures, a collection of fresh and dynamic images from Welsh celebrity photographer Cambridge Jones, described as Britain's answer to Annie Leibovitz, will be on exhibit at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery in Barnsdall Art Park from March 3rd to April 24th.

Of the subjects he has photographed for Talking Pictures, the best known in LA include: Matthew Rhys, Ioan Gruffudd, John Cale, Anthony Hopkins, Eddie Izzard, Michael Sheen and Robert Plant.

Jones is flattered with the comparison to Leibovitz, but in the audio accompanying the exhibit he explains that his process is more relaxed and spontaneous, creating portraits that are revealing, direct and often playful. He says, "I shoot celebrities as people rather than people as celebrities. I like my portraits to be honest without any veneer. I want a visual connection between the viewer and the subject, often jumping out of the frame. I am pleased when they walk out of a session an hour or so later and comment that they don't feel they have been photographed. It's almost incidental that the encounter involved a camera."

At the end of each shoot, Jones asks his subjects to talk briefly about who or what inspired them. Exhibition viewers can listen to comments and get the full impact of the 'talking picture'.

For Michael Sheen, surprisingly it is not an actor but the storied critic Kenneth Tynan, who inspired him. For Damian Lewis star of Band of Brothers, it's Gilbert and Sullivan opera, and Terry Jones says the surreal comedy of Buster Keaton, inspired his visuals for Monty Python.

A common DNA joins photographer and subject and that's simply and magnificently - Wales. As Cambridge developed the project and met these celebrities who are passionate about Wales, he too became more inspired by his heritage with its unique culture.

Talking Pictures is produced in association with The Welsh Assembly Government.

More on Cambridge Jones and the Talking Pictures exhibit can be found at http://www.cambridgejones.com/talkingpictures.html.

The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, is located in the Barnsdall Art Park at 4800 Hollywood Blvd, CA 90027.  For more information, go to http://www.barnsdallartpark.com/ or call +1-323-644-6269. Gallery hours: Thursday - Sunday 12 - 5 pm.

SOURCE Cambridge Jones