For the second time in recent years, I was sent on assignment to Cannes as photographer for a cover story about a woman who’d learned, as an adult, that her mother was not her mother. Last time, two babies had been accidentally swapped in the maternity clinic; this time, I was making a portrait of an international spokeswoman on the subject of surrogacy. Given the prospect of changes to UK law which would favour parents who use a surrogate, a British tabloid directed its microphone to the South of France, to profile Olivia Maurel, herself born of surrogacy – and today a passionate anti-surrogacy campaigner.

Who remembers Seb Coe? I was commissioned to make an editorial portrait of this ex-Olympic-record-holding runner in Monaco. Forewarned of his dislike of photographers and detecting his impatience during the long interview with my magazine journalist colleagues beforehand, I shook things up when we finally started the shoot with a warm-up relay run, up and down the corridor. Seb may no longer be an athlete today, having moved into politics and the presidency of World Athletics, but he is still happy in trainers, and he turned out to be a great subject to photograph.

Francis Mallmann is widely regarded as the most influential chef in Latin America, and he boasts restaurants worldwide – the South of France included. I was invited as photographer to make the portrait of the ‘king of live-fire cooking’ at Château La Coste, home to his eatery in Provence. On this cover shoot, assigned by luxury lifestyle magazine Club Oenologique, I discovered for myself that Mallmann not only makes a mean sorbet, but wears his favourite tree and sews dresses for fun.

British long distance runner Paula Radcliffe held the record of fastest marathoner in the world for 16 years. Today, she lives near Monaco, where I made her portrait for the cover of People Health magazine. Incredibly, she achieved her long and successful career as an athlete, despite being a lifelong sufferer of asthma.

A convoluted journey took me to Barcelona recently, on a magazine assignment to make portraits of an unlikely pariah. His grandfather was once voted the greatest Frenchman ever, yet Pierre de Gaulle has, in publicly voicing his controversial opinion of the conflict in Ukraine, incurred the displeasure of both the mainstream French press and the government.

Being commissioned as photographer to make portraits of actors or directors during the the Cannes Film Festival is a unique experience. This year, Telegraph Luxury magazine assigned me to photograph Natalie Portman, as well as two young actors who were awarded the 2023 Chopard Trophy for rising movie stars.

Just before Christmas, I was assigned to travel 400 km across Provence, to make a portrait of author Helena Frith Powell – and to do a better job of it than her last photographer. Based in the South of France, Helena is known in the UK for her books on French living, as well as a DIY guide to creating a luxury spa at home. A portrait of her in spa gear was needed for the cover of the Daily Mail’s Inspire magazine, and the Mail’s previous photographer was not welcome back.

The Marzocco brothers have made it to the top in Monaco. ‘La Tour Odéon’, where I made their portrait recently, is one of the Marzoccos’ giant property development projects in Monte Carlo – and the tallest building in the principality. In bright, white, glass-walled surroundings of one of Monaco’s most expensive apartments, I worked around summer sunbeams and soap bubbles… and learned of an extraordinary escape from the Italian mafia.

Some people collect stamps … others collect Ferraris. French magazine Le Point celebrated Ferrari’s 75th anniversary this year, and I was assigned as photographer to make portraits of both a Ferrari collector and a Ferrari caretaker – the latter an ex-champion racing driver – in the Lubéron. The loyalty and emotion that this brand inspires are impressive – as are the price tags of its products.