David Bailey: Photography is not fun
Posted on Monday, 4th Jan 2010 at 11:52am GMT12 Comments
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I was lucky enough to catch up with superstar photographer, David Bailey, recently and was surprised to learn that he doesn’t think photography is fun…
What I haven’t read about in any interviews with David Bailey, is his personal work. The spotlight has been on Bailey for the duration of his 50 year career and I was interested to know what he shoots for himself, for fun and perhaps keeps back from the media. I asked him “Do you shoot for fun, in non-work time? What do you photograph?” He seemed quite shocked that I would think of photography as fun – “Not for fun, no, I wouldn’t say it’s fun, I just shoot for myself, it's just something I do.” It turns out that Bailey considers all of his work, all of his commissions as shooting for himself. Continuing along the same vein, I also discovered that Bailey’s whole philosophy to his success is “just do what you do, it just happens”. Maybe this really is the key to making it then, only accept jobs that you want to do for yourself, so then you won’t have to shoot your own work, for fun, in your own time.
One thing I’m always keen to ask pro photographers about is up and coming photographic talent that they've spotted. For instance, I had an interesting chat with Martin Parr about Lithuanian photographer Rimaldas Viksraitis, when we did a video interview with him recently. I asked Bailey if he’s got his eye on any new talent and if so, who should we be watching? “I don’t know, it’s such a broad spectrum and it’s hard to get noticed. Everyone can take a great picture with digital, the knack is to take two,” he replied. David only uses digital for street photography and reportage but as he’d mentioned it I asked him how he’s found using the Olympus PEN (Bailey has been associated with and used Olympus for years). “I’ve never been a big one for cameras, it’s the person that takes the photograph, not the camera. Just look at the pictures that they took in the 1930s with the equipment they had then.”
I did try to get some tips from Bailey about how to raise your profile as a photographer but he doesn't give much away at all. After all this time he's probably still the most recognised name in photography. "It's been a tough 50 years," he says.
Excellent.
Been waiting for words from Mr Bailey here.
He is so right. Do it for yourself... and to ask him for tips for todays climate within the photography world?... is a different PLANET from when he began... everything is different... when his career was embryonic the landscape of working in photography must have been totally different, no DSLR's... no internet... no blogs... no saturation and regurgitation of everything within modern culture...
#1. Posted on Monday, 04 Jan 2010 at 03:53pm GMT. Report this
PS Nice portrait of DB... look great in B&W ; )
#2. Posted on Monday, 04 Jan 2010 at 03:57pm GMT. Report this
Ah!!! you changed it for a B&W shot! Brilliant! (I add this so my PS does not look too insane!)
#3. Posted on Monday, 04 Jan 2010 at 05:30pm GMT. Report this
Ah!!! you changed it for a B&W shot! Brilliant! (I add this so my PS does not look too insane!)
#4. Posted on Monday, 04 Jan 2010 at 05:30pm GMT. Report this
An interesting article Rach - thanks for bringing him to our attention. I like his philosophy on 'the person, not the camera'.....how true.
Regards, Wayne
#5. Posted on Tuesday, 05 Jan 2010 at 02:23am GMT. Report this
do you think his photography or the Olympus trip 35 adverts made David Bailey the houseold name he is today ?
#6. Posted on Tuesday, 05 Jan 2010 at 08:03am GMT. Report this
Sorry PolariodSky – apologies, we had some objections to the first picture, so had to change it.
Cosmicma – Personally, I think his forward thinking fashion photography made him famous and everything else has simply followed. He's created an amazing body of work during his career and appears to have worked tirelessly.
#7. Posted on Tuesday, 05 Jan 2010 at 09:50am GMT. Report this
i asked the question because it's very unusual for a photographer to become a houseold name
i'm familiar with some of his work from the 60s ( cray twins , beatles , mick jagger etc.. ) although it was a little before my time
#8. Posted on Tuesday, 05 Jan 2010 at 10:37am GMT. Report this
I have always like David s Work and this inspired me right from the 70s. Now I am in Malaysia I am saddened for the lack of creativity and thought in photography. So many cameras , so little true photographers. There is no film 120 . I was showing how I loved to shoot film and the high quality of large prints even the best SLR D cameras cannot touch, Is photography , photography or just computer imaging? If your shooting for fun that your just snapping. If your thinking through the frame . then your taking photographs. Sadly many digital cameras all require post processing. The cost is stupid for a god camera like any over 10 mp or a hazleblad
#9. Posted on Wednesday, 06 Jan 2010 at 04:47am GMT. Report this
Well I guess I must be a thoughtful snapper - I enjoy the creativity I can share through my photographic work. Photography should be fun (except perhaps if you are documenting sadness of war etc.) I am sure DB enjoys the fun of it too.
#10. Posted on Wednesday, 06 Jan 2010 at 10:09am GMT. Report this
I thinks David's work is inspiring. Could it be his work inspires us in the same way Bresson's work inspires us? Because, perhaps, both are, or in the case of Bresson - was, miserable old whatsits?...lol. Of course photography isn't fun! Addictive, yes. If it was fun, I would be out and about taking pictures instead of sitting here reading and commenting on this blog, despite the awful weather outside.
#11. Posted on Wednesday, 06 Jan 2010 at 04:30pm GMT. Report this
Look at any artist throughout history, they did not find their work fun, it was a labour of love, of passion and those two things drive you not in ways which always make you happy.
Bailey - one of the tortured artists?! Van Gogh with a camera!!
Starting a fashion magazine in the 60's to feature his photography did not hurt his career either!
#12. Posted on Thursday, 07 Jan 2010 at 12:45am GMT. Report this
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