Alison Jones takes a snap shot of an exhibition by influential British portrait photographer Brian Griffin.

Fans of photographer Brian Griffin’s work have grown accustomed to expecting the unexpected.

Right from the very early days, back in the ‘70s, when he was working for Management Today, instead of taking stiff shots of boardroom suits he was manipulating his subjects into uncharacteristic poses with a twist of wit.

Described as “the most unpredictable and influential British portrait photographer of the last three decades”, he has captured musicians, movie stars, men at work and the teams delivering the 2012 Olympics.

His latest exhibition is his most personal yet. The Black Country is a reflection of his childhood growing up in Lye between 1948 and 1969 – and once again he has brought his unique perspective to bear.

A picture entitled Black Country Woman shows a careworn figure in an overall with a viscous black liquid covering her hands. In an image of his elderly Aunt Else and Uncle Fred, Fred’s left hand creeps forward, black oil dripping from his ring finger.

Brian has dedicated The Black Country to his late mother. She worked packaging headless nails at William Foxhall & Sons in Lye while his father was a horizontal borer.

“The working woman is the hero,” says Griffin. “The whole show is about my mum and dad and my grandparents, who were chainmakers.

“The oil is obviously a symbol of industry. However, deep inside I feel its also something to do with human mortality.

“It is far deeper than going back to old haunts and photographing them as they are now, it is a real art piece.”

Pictures were taken at locations in Lye and Cradley Heath including Solid Swivel, Boro Foundry and Holtite Ltd. He dressed actors to play some of the roles, including that of his late mother while Griffin himself stood in for his late father, whom he closely resembles.