Gazing into the middle distance as his pen hovers over his resignation letter, Boris Johnson seems, in a photograph that appeared on the front pages of Brexit-backing newspapers on Tuesday, like a modern Winston Churchill.
For the crucial assignment of helping the now former foreign secretary project an image of sombre – if stage-managed – determination, there was only one likely option: the same man who captured him flailing his arms in a helicopter, clobbering a 12-year-old Japanese rugby player and getting a selfie with an elephant.
Andrew Parsons, the photographer behind the image, is a veteran visual chronicler of Johnson’s career who has an even longer history with the Conservative party. He accompanied Theresa May on her first visit to meet Donald Trump.
Before that, Parsons was hired by the party during the 2010 election campaign. He was even given a short-lived taxpayer funded civil service role as David Cameron’s official photographer, although No 10 denied this title and said Parsons work across all departments. Eventually he was let go because it was decided it was untenable to have a photographer paid for by public finances.
The latest Johnson photograph was at Parsons’ own initiative. “I was not called to take Boris’ photograph,” he said. “I was at Westminster at the time and rumours spread that he was resigning, so I put a message out, asking – do you want me to document it? He said, ‘Yes, that’s a good idea.’ That was it.”
He added: “I have photographed him for 12 years, so it was not unusual for me to photograph him yesterday. I photographed him when he quit the leadership race ... I saw all that behind-the-scenes. It’s not unusual.
Parsons regularly took photographs of Johnson when the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip was London’s mayor, although he was not employed in an official role.
“They went on lots of trips together with the Foreign Office,” said another press photographer of Parsons and Johnson. “He worked as the pool photographer who would share all the images ... The key point with Andrew is that they know they can trust him to be professional and discreet. He is a very nice guy.”
Parsons has access that no agency photographers can get, colleagues said. He has also covered conflicts from Afghanistan to Iraq, but has been close to Johnson, often taking photos at family events. It is understood that a multimillionaire party donor paid for Parson to accompany Johnson on some mayoral trips, from which he produced a number of photos.
He would often encourage Johnson’s instinct for an eye-catching photo opportunity – such as eating takoyaki, or octopus balls, in Japan – those who worked with the pair have said. The relationship worked both ways: Johnson got front-page pictures, and Parsons made money from the photo opportunities.
Parsons says Johnson and him are close and have a sort of friendship. “I have always found him easy but I get on with him, more so than others,” he said.
He again emphasised that the photoshoot was unplanned. “I photographed Cameron’s last few days at No 10 ... it’s no different.”
If the final ministerial image was Parsons’ idea, there nonetheless seems little doubt that Johnson would have had confidence in his suitability to do the job. “Boris with his Churchillian illusions would be well aware of Churchill going to Sidney Street siege and taking along photographers,” said another photographer who has worked with Parsons. “I don’t see Boris missing an opportunity to see his resignation as of historical importance.”
