Rankin

• Name — Rankin • Birth Name — John Rankin Waddell • Born — April 1966 • Birthplace — Glasgow, Scotland • Education — * Thirsk School • Beaumont School • Brighton Polytechnic • Barnfield College • Alma Mater — London College of Printing • Occupation — * Photographer • Director • Publisher • Children — 1

Rankin was born in Glasgow. In 1976, his family moved to Yorkshire, where he attended Thirsk School. They again relocated, to St Albans, where he studied at Beaumont School. He worked as a hospital porter when he was 21, and studied accounting at Brighton Polytechnic until he realised his interests lay elsewhere and dropped out. Rankin took up photography on a BTech course at Barnfield College in Luton, and then a BA course at the London College of Printing. He did not graduate from either.

Rankin's portraiture includes: His portrait of "a drained-looking" Tony Blair, taken on the eve of the Iraq War for the cover of the Financial Times magazine, was seen as controversial.

Rankin has directed music videos for artists including:-

Rankin took part in 2008's television reality show Britain's Missing Top Model. The show followed eight young women with disabilities who competed for a modelling contract; photo shoot with Rankin, and Marie Claire magazine cover picture. In 2011, Rankin was the photography teacher in Jamie's Dream School on Channel 4. He then presented the BBC Four documentary America in Pictures – The Story of Life Magazine. He travelled to South Africa for the 2012 BBC documentary South Africa in Pictures. BBC Four broadcast his 2014 documentary Seven Photographs That Changed FashionI, in which he created tributes to images by Cecil Beaton, Erwin Blumenfeld, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, David Bailey and Guy Bourdin. Rankin interviewed some of the original photographers, models and assistants, and used contemporary models. Rankin is a regular photographer and guest judge on Germany's Next Topmodel. He hosted the 2021 Great British Photography Challenge on BBC4.

For his 2009 Brick Lane exhibition Rankin Live, he set out to photograph 1,000 ordinary people, completing one portrait every fifteen minutes, each printed and hung within thirty minutes. Rankin has exhibited at galleries including MoMA, New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. A Rankin retrospective exhibition The Dazed Decades was held at 180 Studios in London in 2024. In June 2025, he hosted his exploration of AI and its implications in his Faik exhibition at Annroy studios, giving away to visitors 1,000 free copies of his 'Faik Free' books exploring the topic. This was immediately followed by his contrasting Back To Reality photography exhibition in the same space, celebrating 35 issues and 15 years of Hunger magazine.

Rankin and his production team have created for brands including:-

• Illustration — Rankin photographing the Surfrider Foundation Plastic Monster. Rankin has supported Women's Aid, providing photographs for their Blind Eye, What's It Going To Take?, and Valentine's Day campaigns. Nike and Product Red commissioned him to shoot their 2012 HIV/AIDS campaign, Lace Up, Save Lives. In 2019, Rankin designed a plastic waste monster and photographed it to support Surfrider Foundation's initiatives against plastic waste. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Rankin shot portraits of NHS staff to celebrate their work. He was a judge for 2021's Holocaust Memorial Day Trust Light Up The Darkness competition. Rankin has photographed campaigns for Amnesty International; the Institute of Cancer Research; Oxfam; the Teenage Cancer Trust, and Breast Cancer Awareness In 2024, he photographed King Charles III for the cover of The Big Issue to highlight the Coronation Food Project.

• Illustration — Annroy studio In 2009, Rankin developed Annroy, a contemporary building in Kentish Town. It was designed by Trevor Horne Architects and incorporates Rankin's photographic studio and gallery. The name is a portmanteau of his parents' given names.

• Illustration — Rankin at SXSW London in June 2025. Rankin was married to actress Kate Hardie from 1995 to 1998. Since 2009, he has been married to model and yoga teacher Tuuli Shipster. He is a supporter of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, where his wife volunteers, and has donated a series of photographs to the charity.

Rankin was recorded at birth as John Rankin Waddell. He also worked under the name Rankin. The authorities additionally record the headings John Rankin Waddell, J.R. Waddell and Rankin Waddell. His recorded language was English. He married Kate Hardie and Tuuli Shipster.

Rankin is recorded with the occupation fashion photographer. Recorded with the occupation film director. Recorded as photographer and film director.