David Bailey

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I've sat down in the lecture theatre and Sharon has swirled in, in quite a rush may I add. This comes as a bit of a surprise because I'm pretty sure I've got a lecture with a bloke called Chris. She politely apologises for taking our lecture but Chris is ill. I'm just thankful we were lucky enough to have someone who could cover the lesson.
It kicks off in full force on a pretty PowerPoint presentation:

" Who do you think you are ? David Bailey? "

Great. More name dropping and yet again I couldn't tell you who he is. I'm going with the safe assumption that he is a photographer. Probably really famous and iconic but to me it's just a name. Time to get learning. It turns out he's one of the main photographers responsible for capturing the 'Swinging Sixties' I can't think of someone he's photographed. Whoops.

This is what the internet had to say about Mr.Bailey:

"Graduating from being an assistant with fashion photographer John French in 1959,

Bailey began the 1960s with a contract with 
Vogue to become the decade's iconic

chronicler with two defining portrait publications 
David Bailey's box of pin-ups (1965)

 and 
Goodbye Baby and Amen (1969). They focussed on a new social order that evolved 

from the decade of change. Bailey was a leading figure in the Swinging Sixties London 

scene and provided some of the inspiration for the role of the photographer, played 

by David Hemmings, in Antonioni's cult film Blow Up (1966.) Bailey had his first Museum 

exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 1971."

Yeah, I get that he's taken a lot of photos, but WHAT one made him so famous?

Cue Google Search: Iconic David Bailey. This just brought up lots and lots of people
singing his praises. Which is fine, but not helpful to my cause. Next Google search: 'David Bailey Famous Photos' BINGO. So, here are some of his most famous photos.

David Bailey, Jean Shrimpton (1962) 
David Bailey, Pauline Boty (1964)


David Bailey, Michael Caine (1965)
David Bailey, Kray Twins with Pet Snakes (1968)

He's also taken quite a few photos of the late Princess Diana. I can see why his photos are recognised are iconic because each one that I've seen captures a different part of the progression of the 1960s. I've just included my favourites from a vary vast back catalogue of images he's managed to create over a long period of time.

David Bailey, Andy Warhol (1965)
FOR legendary photographer David Bailey it is his subject's eyes that help make the best pictures - something that became apparent when he met Julian Assange.
"I met that WikiLeaks bloke the other day. I couldn't do a portrait of him - there's nothing in his eyes," he told the Evening Standard at the Hay Festival,
(Alexander 2011)

Why is this article quote relevant? I shall explain why: Now, as I've mentioned in another post I am a huge fan of the 1960s in America. To pin point the exact moment would be the time of Andy Warhol's Factory. What I find really interesting about this photograph is something really simple. Andy Warhol was almost never seen without his trademark black sunglasses. In short films, he would be wearing them. Public apperances, he would be wearing them. Still shots captured by Billy Name, in the Factory were he spent all of his time? Sunglasses of course. I'll be completely honest. I had to do a double take when I first saw this because I barely recongised Warhol but I like this photo. I just can't tell you why. He doesn't look sinister or anything like that but he doesn't look warm or approachable and there doesn't seem to be much going on in his eyes. I just found it interesting that apart from being an Icon in the 1960s, What made Bailey want to photograph someone who you rarely saw their eyes?

Just for the giggles I've found this advert on YouTube:




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