Jim Marshall

I only just picked up this news, Jim Marshall died on the 24th March. Its a strange thing that news of some peoples death makes the front pages while others pass without the public at large really knowing at all, but Jim Marshall was one of the true greats of photography. He was a hugely influential photographer, mainly photographing musicians and making his name in the 1960's with iconic photographs of artists including Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix. All of those that came after, from Annie Leibovitz to Anton Corbijn, owe a debt to Jim Marshall.

Bob Dylan, New York, 1963, by Jim Marshall


Johnny Cash at San Quentin Prison, 1969, by Jim Marshall


Janis Joplin, San Francisco, 1968, by Jim Marshall


Jimi Hendrix at Monterey Pop Festival, 1967, by Jim Marshall

"This 'career' has never been just a job — it’s been my life."
-- Jim Marshall.

Behind The Scenes; Kate Nash Shoot.

A look behind the scenes of the Kate Nash shoot I did in January. The shoot was done in a bar I hired in Covent Garden, London, and the crew was; Stylist Rebekah Roy, Hair by Corrado Tevere, Makeup by Claudine Henderson, and Photography Assistant was Clare Lewington (who also shot these candid behind the scenes photos).

Kate & Hair Stylist Corrado discuss the look for the shoot.



From left; Kate, Me, and Corrado.


Discussing the portraits and directing Kate.



Kate and stylist Rebekah.



Kate & I celebrate a successful shoot.

Thank you to all involved, and to Kate who was brilliant, and a big thank you to Clare for the photos. I'll post the finished portraits too in the coming weeks.

Mx

'You Want To Do Some Version Of What You Already Think I Am.'

'You don't really wanna get to know me or photograph my soul, you want to do some version of what you already think I am and then expose something that you believe is hidden.'
-- Lady Gaga talking about magazine photoshoots.
Interviewed in Q Magazine (cover date April 2010).

'I Hate Remembering.'

'I hate remembering. Its all past.'
- Brian Eno, interviewed in 2009.

I know I talk about music a lot and this post is no exception. I watched the profile of Brian Eno on BBC4, which was followed by an hour of music Eno has been involved in - whether solo, or with David Bowie, Roxy Music, Talking Heads, etc. The profile was excellent, with Eno actually talking about his work and life. He's been directly involved with some of my favourite albums, including Bowie's 'Low'.

It was funny to me to hear him say he hates remembering. I have such an awful memory that I think its one reason I take so many photographs, I take photographs of places I visit, things I do, people I know... I forget things so easily, so the photographs are like a part of my memory, helping me remember, they fill in the blanks.

But it was really interesting to hear him discuss the music he's been involved in, as performer, composer, or producer. Or all three.
The word genius is used too often to describe people, but I think in Eno's case it applies.

Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, and David Bowie at work in the studio in Berlin, circa 1977 © C. Simonpietri

Mx

Recent Shoots (& Laugh Tracks);

2010 got off to a busy start. There have been shoots with Biffy Clyro, Kate Nash, Delphic, Two Door Cinema Club, and others already. Went to Delphic's gig after the shoot too, really enjoyed it.
Wish it wasn't so cold here however, the UK started 2010 with a big freeze. OK for most shoots as they've been mainly inside, but photographed Biffy Clyro in the rooftop outside bar of the Soho hotel they were staying in. 7pm on a rooftop high above Soho, a freezing January night - one of those times where you shoot fast then go for a drink :P

There're a lot of films out now I want to see but not found the time yet. Did see 'Up In The Air' which I thought was good.

Actually, on the subject of movies I love this clip of 'The Shining' with a laugh track, I may never be able to watch the film in the same way again :)



Found via Dev Hynes's film blog.

Mx

Again In No Particular Order...

I have to admit I like end of year best of lists - Top 10's of the year etc. I always read the end of years lists in magazines - and then of course I moan about the ones I don't agree with and think 'really, how, why, what are you thinking putting that in there?'
I don't mean all lists - I can live with and find interesting a 10 best list, but I get annoyed by those '100 Greatest Ever.........(Whatever It Is)' run downs that are just an excuse for 5 hours of cheap TV on a Saturday night.
But anyway, after reading the best albums of the year lists in the various music magazines over Christmas I started thinking which albums I'd loved that were released over the last year, and so made my provisional list of favourite albums of 2009.
So, and in no particular order (cop-out/noncommittal), 10 of the albums from 2009 that I liked;

The Dead Weather - Horehound (I think I love just about anything Jack White's involved in)
Florence & The Machine - Lungs
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
The XX - XX (One of the best debuts)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
White Lies - To Lose My Life
Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers
Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
REM - Live At The Olympia, Dublin (Yeah, I know its a live album, but I went over to see them play at the Olympia and it reminds me of how great it was to see them play this really intimate theatre.)

This was hard, there were a lot of great new bands appearing this year, and more to come next year, so its a mix of established and new artists.
Actually once I finished writing down these ten others started to come to me that I'd loved this year, so Fever Ray 'Fever Ray' and Animal Collective 'Merriweather Post Pavillion' could easily have been in the ten, and I'm sure once I hit 'Publish' others will come to mind......

Mx

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone, I hope 2010 is an amazing year for you, and your year is full of joy, success, and love :)

1st Jan 2010 (I seem to have shot lots of trees & sun this Christmas)

Mx