Lydia Whitmore has quite a lot on her plate right now. “I’m currently working on a film with the artist Nicky Deeley, which is going to be shot at the Barbican, and which explores artificial intelligence and mental health,” the London-based photographer explains. “I’m also setting up a creative agency, which is probably a really mad thing to do, but it seemed like a fun thing to do at the time. We’re trying to come at it from more of an artist’s point of view. And a friend of mine has written a script for a horror film. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, make a horror film. I’ve just got to figure out how best to do that.”

Whitmore pauses on the line. “Oh, and I’m also trying to build a robot. I’ve been talking to an animatronics man. I may have to set that aside until I have vast amounts of money. But I really want to do that. It’s all really mad.”

It does, to be honest, sound a little mad for someone who has established themselves, to great effect, as a commercial and editorial stills photographer. But then why bet against Lydia Whitmore?