Interview: Emma Pallent | Photography: James Thompson
Photographer James Thompson, a tetraplegic following a skiing accident, breaks boundaries in a powerful coastal shoot with archer Lucy O’Sullivan.
Lucy O’Sullivan – The Archer’s View
“I’d worked with James before – he’s so creative. We’d done a shoot in the woods up near Noirmont, so when he told me he had an idea for a cliff shoot near Corbière, I trusted him completely. He said, “Bring a dress,” and had this whole vision mapped out in his head. He positioned me between two rocks, set his chair in place, and took the photo. When I saw it, I welled up a bit – it was absolutely perfect.
The concept really hit me. I’ve always had two main agendas: make archery more popular, and make Jersey more popular. No one ever knows where the island is – they always think I’m talking about New Jersey – and archery is still considered niche. After this shoot a third agenda was revealed: empower females through archery. When I was younger, people thought archery was a ‘boy sport’ – for female archers, it can be hard. I’m a sportswoman – but why can’t we be pretty? Why can’t we also be feminine?
James was amazing at understanding that, and capturing the essence of it in the shoot. When the wind was blowing and I had my bow, I felt powerful. It was a beautiful moment because at competitions I’m in sports gear, and outside of that I’m a personal trainer, so I’m always in active wear. This shoot gave me the space to dress up, and celebrate my sport and femininity in a beautiful way.
Growing up, I was always called a tomboy. Archery wasn’t considered traditionally feminine, but actually, it’s one of the few sports with equal representation at the Olympics, with the same number of men and women. People have said things like “You’ve got man shoulders,” but I need that for my sport. I still wear dresses, I wear makeup, I wear arrows in my hair at competitions. I don’t think embracing my sport makes me any less feminine.
Defining femininity is so divisive – everyone has a different idea of what it is. Now, in my thirties, I feel most feminine when I feel strong. On that cliff, in my dress, with my bow – I genuinely felt like I could rule the world. Maybe that’s femininity – having strength and feeling secure as a female.
That’s the message I hope people see in the photo – that you can be both. You can lift 100kg in the gym and then pose like a warrior woman in a flowing dress on a cliff. You don’t have to pick between being sporty or being feminine. You can just be yourself.
Archery’s changing. When I was a kid, it was all medieval battle scenes and Lord of the Rings. But now, young girls are picking it up thanks to characters like Katniss Everdeen and Merida from Brave. I was talking to one of my French teammates the other day and she said The Hunger Games is why she started. That style of femininity – a strong, powerful, warrior woman – is making archery feel like a place for girls too.
I’ve been in the sport for 25 years, on the GB team since I was 14. We just found out my category is finally going to be in the Olympics. I honestly thought I was ready to retire, and step back to be more of an Instagram-archer than shoot competitively. But now? I’m throwing my hat back in the ring. After 25 years, why not?”
@osullivan_archery
James Thompson – The Photographer’s View
“I’d followed Lucy for a while, and we’d done a shoot back in 2023. The idea behind these images actually came from a photo I saw of a violinist in a field at sunset. I wanted to recreate something similar, but with Lucy and her bow. Athletes are often photographed in their kit, which can feel more like a uniform than a true reflection of who they are. I think that’s why it worked so well with Lucy – she resonated with the idea. The shoot gave her a chance to show off her talent and strength, whilst also just being herself.
I try not to over-plan, especially with outdoor shoots where conditions can shift. I had a rough idea in my head and had already scoped the location. We started playing around with different spots and poses, figuring out what felt safe and natural for Lucy, and where I could get to with my own limitations. Eventually, we found a great angle – she was out on a ledge, and I shot through two rocks to frame her against the sea. It felt like a scene from Hunger Games. Lucy defending her island.
I try to keep shoots quite casual and relaxed, to let the person I’m capturing feel comfortable. It’s more intuitive than rigid. I’d rather let the person move around, see what feels natural, and then adjust from there. That way, it doesn’t feel forced.
This shoot was also special because it was my first one back out on the cliff paths. I got a new wheelchair last year that can actually handle some of the paths out to the cliffs. The day-to-day ones can’t, and I’ve gotten stuck a few times trying, so it felt good to be back there after a long time. I’ve done shoots on cliff paths before, and I’ve always loved those parts of the island. I think in general, they’re quite underused and underrated. Shoots like this one give people a chance to see what’s out there and potentially appreciate it in a new way.
Since my accident in 2020, I’ve had to adapt how I shoot. I dislocated both my shoulders and broke two vertebrae in my neck in a freak accident skiing. I can’t move my fingers, so I use a remote trigger in my mouth to take pictures. It took a long time to figure out how to make it work and fine-tune the setup. Eventually, I got there with extra handles and a trigger that I can bite. Most people don’t realise how much trial and error goes into accessibility – there’s no quick fix, it’s just figuring things out, one small adjustment at a time. What can work for one person might not work for another. Accessibility is not a case of one-size-fits-all.
Photography’s always been a passion, a hobby that sort of went a bit mad. Since the accident, it’s become a lifeline. It completely saved me at times, made me feel like myself – I’d have struggled a lot more if I hadn’t had access to it. I have to shoot in a different way from how I did before, but the outcome feels the same. Whether it’s a planned portrait or just flying my drone, I still love it. I do more studio work now too, since it’s accessible, and I can easily control the environment – all my lights run through apps on my phone.
I get asked what direction I want to go in with my photography, and I still don’t have a definitive answer. For me, it’s become such a cornerstone of who I am. I just want to keep enjoying creating, either by myself or with others. The freedom to be as creative as possible is why I love it. It’s what I need.”
@james__jersey
