David Bailey at Photo London
I'm looking forward to my trip to Photo London this week (taking in the British Library and Photographers Gallery on the way so that I can meet a friend for coffee and see the Deutsche Borse and Paul Cupido exhibitions before my guided tour of Somerset House). There are many reasons for going to Photo London and with over 100 exhibitors and large exhibitions of Shirin Neshat and Robert Capa I really have no idea how much I will be able to fit in to 9 hours in London.
But one person who is showing some of his original photos from back in the day is David Bailey whose work I have long admired. In the context of the new found freedoms and free flowing informality of the sixties, his work shines out. It sort of makes me wonder why people bother with photography degrees.... He is also selling some of his original polaroids ( the easiest way before digital to see if a shot was working or not) at £1000 a pop whilst there and, if I had £1000 to spare, I might even buy one. But I haven't. Still I thought that I would anticipate my visit with these rarely seen portraits of Miles Davies, John and Yoko, Charlie Watts (RIP), Michael Caine, an anonymous but wonderful fashion picture for Balenciaga, Catherine Bailey and my favourite - Jean Shrimpton with a drawing by David Hockney on her cheek which turns the whole photo very Picasso-ish. Enjoy. I will.
The holy trinity, Don McCullin, Ernst Haas, and David Bailey, a big thank you to all three for being the reason I picked a Camera up all those years back. My daughter's middle name is Bailey, enough said.