Lorentz Gullachsen has taken photographs of older volunteers for an exhibition at Lauderdale House. Alex Kasriel talks to him about his work.

When Lorentz Gullachsem was asked to photograph people for an exhibition on volunteer work, he jumped at the chance of having another artistic project to get his teeth into.

The exhibition, called The V Word, at Lauderdale House, Highgate, features portraits of volunteers from across the country including some who live and work in Barnet.

Gullachsen, who normally works in commercial photography, travelled 2,500 miles using a Hasselblad camera with a digital back for charity TimeBank, creating portraits of volunteers over the age of 55, in their working environments.

"I was very privileged to have a commission like this," he said. "This is making a difference in a publicity sense."

The volunteers include Tony O'Halloran, a retired teacher from Kensington who has been volunteering at arts centre Lauderdale House for four years.

Another is Kathryn Salomon, of Hampstead Garden Suburb, who takes her retired reacing greyhound Gracie to a residential home to cheer up the old folk as part of Pets As Therapy, or PAT.

"They were inspirational people: giving their time, making a difference to their communities, but they get a lot out of it as well," said Gullachsen.

"I really do think that it was a fantastic project. They each had something special."

Although he is normally involved in taking photos for clients, Gullachsen has recently enjoyed another of his own artistic endeavours, which was particularly personal to him. And it was certainly different to his normal work, shooting cars and holiday sports for advertising companies.

His exhibition Movers and Shakers showed portraits of his home town Birmingham's great and good. Since he returned to the city 15 years ago, he has been struck by how much more dynamic and culturally alive it is today. Subjects included Birmingham City FC Chairwoman, Karren Brady and MP and former Cabinet minister Clare Short.

Gullachsen, now 54, said he was born into photography. His father was a photographer, and he says he was stuck in the dark room for most of his youth.

"As a kid, I was thinking, 'This is not the glamourous life at all'. But I kept on coming back to it," he said. For a time, he pursued a career in advertising as a production assistant executive. But soon enough he (and the company) realised that his skills lay elsewhere.

He became a surf bum for a while and lived by the sea for a year. He soon knew he would never be a professional surfer, so he did a photography course, and, 20 years on, he has not looked back.

"I'm lucky to earn a living by taking photographs," he said. "People use me for my eye. And my approach to the subject, even with my commercial work, is very personal. they don't direct me too much.

"For this exhibition, it was really nice to have more freedom for a change, and to photograph people in their environment where they are working. Hopefully this will say something about them.

"I am really pleased with the way they came out. I hope that those normal people doing extraordinary things agree."

Gullachsen was speaking from Cape Verde, where he was shooting an advert for the African nation's tourist board.

Sounds great, but while he gets to travel the world photographing beautiful people and places, the job does have its drawbacks.

Being on location means there are long spells away from home.

"Two divorces down the line probably tells you something about the compatibility of location photography and relationships," he said.

But his current partner, Carla Aldes de Silva, is also a career woman (a psychotherapist) and his children are now grown up, so his family responsibilities have diminished.

Also, it is difficult to stop working.

"When I go on holiday I try not to take my camera out too much," he said. "But it's very difficult. It's a passion. Some would say an obsession. It's not possible to turn off your eyes. Sometimes the light is wonderful, you're on your way somewhere and you have to stop the car and take a photo. It beckons you."

  • The V Word is at Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, Highgate, until October 9.

Admission is free. Call for opening hours on 020 8442 9099.

To find out more about volunteering, call 0845 601 4008, text VOL to 07766 404142 or visit www.v-word.org.uk