Mission: Impossible star Simon Pegg praises photographer's film shots

Simon Pegg and Mission: Impossible co-star Rebecca Ferguson were surprised to see Thomas Duke's work

A photographer who lines up scenes from movies with the locations where they were shot has been congratulated by one of his subjects.

Thomas Duke, 24, showed his images from three of Simon Pegg's films to the actor at an event for the latest Mission: Impossible film.

A surprised Pegg said he had "seen all my stuff" and "it was great what I did", the photographer said.

Mr Duke said that as a fan, it was now "great to be recognised" for his work.

Thomas said he shot his Shaun of the Dead image outside Londis in Weston Park, north London early in 2020 when "everyone was panic buying" and it felt "scarily thematically fitting"

"It was very surreal," he added. "I've done his movies for years.

"It made me feel that it's not just a digital space, people do actually see my work.

"It's still amazing to me that I'm here after admiring these actors my whole life."

Thomas Duke has visited film capital Hollywood to take some shots

Mr Duke, from Newport, near Saffron Walden, Essex, started photographing scenes from movies or TV series in the locations where they were shot while he was a film student.

He put his examples of the technique, known as rephotography, on social media under his Stepping Through Film banner and soon gained a following.

Now working on it full-time, he also attends media events for his social media channels.

The World's End image was taken in Welwyn Garden City but Letchworth was also used extensively

Invited by Paramount to speak to Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson about Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, he took along the images he had created of what are known as The Cornetto Trilogy.

It refers to three films written by Pegg and director Edgar Wright and starring Pegg and Nick Frost - Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World's End (2013) - where the photographer had visited north London, Wells in Somerset and Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire to do his shots.

The films do not share a storyline but each feature a scene in which a character buys an ice cream.

Nick Frost and Simon Pegg filmed Hot Fuzz in Wells, Somerset

"I've always loved his [Pegg's] work and the trilogy is ingrained in British culture so it's fun to celebrate a trilogy so many people have seen," Mr Duke said.

"Plus they were all filmed in the UK so it was easy to visit for me."

Thomas said it was "very surreal" to find that Pegg had seen and enjoyed his photography

Mr Duke said he took along prints as a "talking point" and as soon as the actor saw them he said "what?! I know you!".

"It was the most nerve-wracking interview of the day because I love them both as actors but they were friendly and chilled so it was also the easiest.

"After admiring the work of both Simon and Rebecca from afar, it was lovely to get their approval in person and enjoy a shared passion for cinema.

"This would have all felt impossible to me 10 years ago, but now I look back and realise that anything is possible. Never give up!

"I started as a fan but it's great to now be recognised and involved in a professional capacity."

Thomas said he had met Simon Pegg as a fan in 2014 so this "was a true full circle moment" and he was "quite flustered".