“It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary.”
David Bailey
As massive fans of photography, we love to visit The Martin Parr Foundation at Bristol Paintworks. Being regulars, we sometimes get to hear about events before they get a chance to sell out, and one such time was when the one and only David Bailey was booked to give a talk alongside David Hurn and Parr himself.
If you are into photography whether it’s a hobby of yours or you photograph as a profession, there is no way that the name David Bailey has escaped you. Bailey along with Terence Donovan and Brian Duffy captured and assisted in creating the 'Swinging London’ of the 1960s with a culture of fashion and celebrity chic. The three photographers socialised with actors, musicians and royalty, and found themselves elevated to celebrity status.
I’ll be honest with you I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of Bailey initially as his whole demeanour gives a grumpy disposition but as soon as he started talking he had a very dry wit, was incredibly entertaining and funny. He doesn’t hold back and says how it is (I admire that!) and sure has a tale to tell having spent sixty years as a photographer!
You know when you really admire someone and you try to act ‘cool’ and ‘normal’ when you’re around them?! well that was me when I took his photo using my Olympus OM-n1 camera. Now obviously using a 40 year old film camera is always a bit risky when it comes to taking photos but as you can see it still works a treat! Bailey was very gracious in having his photograph taken and was very patient in signing all my books!
David Bailey (taken on Olympus OM-1n 35mm)
“The most important piece of equipment after the camera is a good pair of shoes”
David Hurn
David Hurn is a self-taught photographer who began his career in 1955 working as an assistant at the Reflex Photo Agency. He has a longstanding international reputation as one of Britain’s most influential reportage photographers and gained his reputation as a photojournalist for his documentation of the Hungarian revolution in 1956. Hurn eventually turned away from coverage of current affairs preferring to take a more personal approach to photography and became an associate member of Magnum in 1965 and a full member in 1967. He is a big supporter of the Martin Parr Foundation and we’ve had the pleasure to meet him on a few occasions when we’ve been visiting the Paintworks for talks.
David Hurn (taken on Olympus OM-1n 35mm)
“I am what I photograph”
Martin Parr
Martin Parr is a British documentary photographer and photojournalist who has a very distinctive and garish style, consisting of busy frames and often bold colours, which are down to the film stock and digital processes he uses. Recently he has been using amateur film such as Fuji 400 Superior, and Agfa Ultra or Fuji 100 asa film for the ring flash and macro lens. The combination with the flash gives a high colour saturation therefore no photoshop required. His photographs offer the public an opportunity to see the world from his unique perspective.
Parr has been researching leisure, consumption and communication on his worldwide travels over several decades. He enables us to see things that seem familiar to us in a completely new way and creates his own image of society. He presents and publishes the same photographs in the context of art photography, in exhibitions and in art books. Parr is now a member of Magnum and his instantly recognisable style has gathered him many admirers.
Martin Parr (taken on Olympus OM-1n 35mm)
David Hurn, David Bailey & Martin Parr