Q: When you think back, at what point in your life did photography become important to you? 

A: It became important the moment I found out I was going on tour. I bought a Canon AE-1 and took lots of slides of my first tour. I did that a few years but then lost interest, mostly because fame launched itself upon me. It was different when I was suddenly the object of somebody else`s camera and it wasn´t until I was on tour and working with a photographer in Japan that I became interested again. We walked into a used camera shop and there was a beautiful old Rolleiflex camera, made in 1959. I bought it and still use it today. In fact, many of the shots in this Portfolio were taken with this old camera.

Q: You spent long, long years in front of the camera. Has the experience had an important impact on your work?

A: Yes, I learnt a lot about photos from watching other people, but the thing is I never enjoyed being photographed. Perhaps that is why I have sympathy with people who don´t enjoy the process. The main thing I learnt from being a subject was how important it is to make a session an enjoyable experience – at least that we all walk away with an understanding that we tried something, even if it was different.

Q: As you know, there is always a little battle between celebrity subject and the photographer. The celebrity wants to control the image, the photographer wants to break that control. Do you feel like that?

A: I don´t see it that way. I see it as simply catching the moment. I find some of the best images are the ones that happened quickly, spontaneously.

Q: What was the atmosphere like when you were taking pictures of the queen?

A: I was one of four photographers from the Commonwealth to photograph the Queen for her Jubilee portrait. Each of us was given five minutes. This portrait was one of the few that didn´t get released initially, but was later chosen to be a Canadian stamp. The atmosphere was cordial and both her Majesty and Prince Philip were amazed that I was using a chunky old 10×8 camera. In retrospect it probably wasn´t the best choice of equipment because of the time frame I was working with.

Q: Was it Tony Blair´s idea to play the guitar on your photo?

A: I met Mr. Blair at the Jubilee Party for the Queen. He told me he had attended my concerts and was interested in rock music. He then invited me to visit 10 Downing Street. Coincidentally, I had been speaking to a friend of mine at Fenders Guitars on another subject and mentioned that Blair was a guitar fan. He said they had made a Fender guitar with the Labour Party insignia on it but had never given it to anyone. So I brought it over as a laugh. He loved it … as you can see. After the invasion of Iraq, I sent him a book entitled “Peace: 100 Ideas”. I haven´t heard from him since.

Q: Would you say that photographers use a camera as a means of getting into contact with people?

A: Perhaps. Everyone is different. I liked it as a way of documenting the things I saw. I had no idea where it would lead me.

Q: From which side did you enter the photography profession – the technical or the creative side?

A: Certainly not the technical side.

Q: Some critics argue that photography has much closer links to theatre that to art. Do you agree?

A: Well, everybody is entitled to their opinions on what things mean. I love it when people over-intellectualize things like fashion or art. Sometimes when I´m on a shoot and things are getting precious, I wonder to myself – it´ s only a dress! What are we talking about!?

Q: What do you see when you´re doing portrait photography? A face, a character, a soul?

A: I love a character and I love shapes. I did shoot recently where everyone danced – you can imagine the expressions!

Q: Do you sometimes feel nervous taking pictures because you can´t repeat the decisive moment?

A: I often regret not taking that extra roll of film. Sometimes I feel I´ve got it, and that´s enough. More often it is better to keep shooting. This could be the great thing about digital photography. You know you´ve got the shot as you can see it immediately. With film there is always the wait.

Q: In a world where everyone´s gone to digital, do you think photography today is more democratic than before?

A: Yes, it´s certainly more accessible to people these days. I got a ticket on my motorcycle recently for parking somewhere. They sent the ticket to me and with it came a photograph of my bike. Doesn´t that say it all?

Q: When you work in fashion photography, how do you deal with the gab between what the client wants and what you want to do?

A: I always work with what the client wants, but always add in a little of my own thing.

Q: Do you think that we´re now seeing a greater impact of reality in photography than there was a few years ago when fantasy was the main language?

A: Well, there are photographers that make a huge living off of reality photography. I think they´re called paparazzi.

Q: Is there any photo you dream of doing?

A: Always just the one I haven´t taken yet.

Q: Briefly, your technical side – camera, size of film, time in lab, digital work?

A: Mamiya RZ, Leica M6 and Rolleiflex cameras. 120 and 35mm film. And no time in the lab. I look at all my work on my Mac laptop and make my selections to send to the printer. If there is any retouching to be done, I mark things up on the image and send them an email.

Q: How do you organize your life as a musician and a photographer?

A: I do about ten concerts a month somewhere in the world and in between those shows I spend most of my time arranging things for photography. People often ask me where I find the time and why I bother – and I can only answer by saying I´m driven to create things, and excited by the challenge of it.

Q: Do you like pictures of yourself?

A: I like photos of myself from behind. There´s some more mystique.

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Comment:

1. Laura Says:
   October 14th, 2006 at 1:51 am

   Definitely like the pics from behind. They’re the best “behind” pics yet!

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