'A Bird In The Hand' by Andy Scaysbrook available as a Limited Edition print.
We love this image by 100 Prints contributor, Andy Scaysbrook, which was inspired by the classic Alfred Hitchcock's film, The Birds. If you ask Andy about his favourite photographers, there is one name that stands out from the crowd. Whilst being hugely influenced by Henri Cartier-Bresson, William Eggleston and Don McCullin, Andy’s biggest inspiration was actually legendary British Film Director, Alfred Hitchcock. “ I remember watching The Birds with my Mother at an early age," says Andy, "The film had a huge impact on me. It was the mixture of fear, intrigue and fascination. I was totally drawn into the suspense of The Birds and I instantly fell in love with Hitchcock's vision".
The way Hitchcock draws the viewer into his world with his cinema photography captivated and scared audiences in equal measure. His masterly understanding of photography was clear to see; his ability to create tension and fear within one single frame, outstanding. Andy recalls this fascination, “I loved the bold contrast of his work, the way each scene evolved. He was always drawing you into the story with gripping visual references. It's something that has had a huge impact on the way I work as a visual story teller”.
Andy wanted to create his own homage to Hitchcock and The Birds. The image was shot on Mudeford Quay in Dorset, England. "I had spent a lot of time at the quayside and had got chatting to an elderly gentleman who used to come down and feed the birds every day. I explained my ideas to him and we sat and discussed the film. He also had strong memory of it and admitted that he thought Hitchcock's films were 'too scary'. I sent him a copy of the print and he called me and said how much he loved it; "Although I'm still not going to watch Hitchcock anytime soon," he laughed!"
Hitchcock & Twiggy on the set of 'Psycho'
Still featuring James Stewart from 'Rear Window' by Alfred Hitchcock
Still from 'The Birds' by Alfred Hitchcock featuring Tippi Hedren
You can see 'A Bird In The Hand' and other prints by Andy Scaysbrook in our Black and White Collection.