In 2009, Rankin launched RankinLive, the most ambitious project he had ever undertaken. He invited real members of the public in front of the camera and captured their portraits; from shooting to hanging on the wall in 15 minutes. At the first RankinLive in London, Rankin shot over 1,800 people, before rolling it out in six cities around the world. Since then, business people, mums, dads, artists, mechanics, dancers and dreamers to celebrities have taken part in RankinLive. In 2010, Rankin published some of his RankinLIVE shoots in a book, dedicated to some of women he has photographed across the year.

In 2021, Rankin has expanded the RankinLIVE project further with, PERFORMANCE, RankinLIVE x West End Theatre, one of Rankin’s ambitious projects to date. Produced in partnership with the Mayor of London and the Society of London Theatre as part of the #BackOnStage campaign, PERFORMANCE will be an ambitious programme of live shoots, a city-wide exhibition, ground-breaking interviews, a book launch and a charity auction – all in celebration of the capital’s world-leading theatre industry and its pandemic recovery, and in support of Theatre Artists Fund and London youth homelessness charities.

In a historic record of a West End reborn, PERFORMANCE saw Rankin photograph up to 200 subjects drawn from a multitude of productions and theatre venues in central London. With a mission to provide a platform for the full spectrum of the West End’s finest talent both on and offstage, the project featured everyone from star actors, dancers, writers, directors and producers through to costume, sound, lighting and set designers, puppeteers, technicians, dressers, stage managers, front of house staff and many more.

Exclusively on Carnaby Street for Christmas 2023, Rankin is brought the RankinLIVE Experience to the British high-street in a pop-up store. This live experience was a unique opportunity for members of the public to be directed and photographed Rankin down one of London’s most iconic streets.