Goodbye Newsweek

It's sad to know that Newsweek has just printed it's last cover. It was one of the great news magazines, one in which all photojournalists wanted to get their photo's on the cover. I know it will still be around electronically, but I'm not sure how well that will work. I've tried reading magazines on my iPad and although it seems great at first, I always return to paper. I've done the same with books, much preferring to read something real in my hands, that is physical, that I can feel. 

I took the above picture when I was just 21 years old, and it was nearly my last. I had hired a light aircraft with another photographer. Apart from the pilot, there was only one seat on the plane with a seatbelt which the other photographer got, I just relied on kneeling on the floor with my knees against the lip of the door, which by the way had been taken off so we could get a clear view. We were photographing some of the ships leaving Portsmouth harbour heading out to the Falklands. The trouble was there was a height restriction over the harbour, and it was really foggy so we did not get very much. The pilot refuelled on the Isle of Wight and then we decided to have another go, only by now the ships had picked up speed and were out of sight. The pilot asked me which way we should fly, and I remember telling him to go in the direction of the Falklands!

In the distance we saw some smoke and there was HMS Hermes going at full speed making some nice waves. Trouble was we were being warned off by the captain of the ship, so I told our pilot to fly low from the front for just one time and ignore the warning we were getting. So down we went, he lowered the wing so we could get a clear shot, but as I pointed my lens through the open door, we hit some turbulence and half of my body went out of the plane. Still, got the picture!

Weighing In

Weighing In 

I took this photograph of my daughter Olivia being weighed a few days after she was born. Apparently her feet are in 2nd position! She has danced all her life and we have just celebrated her 18th birthday. Thank you to all her friends for making it so special, I will never be able to look at a Blue Lagoon again!

I didn't know the above was going to happen, it just did, and I was ready with a manual Nikon, TriX film, a 28mm or 50mm attached. It was a dark flat we lived in, but there was just enough window light. Have never liked flash, always preferring to use what is there. My great love was to photograph what just happened in front of me. But you always need to be alert for anything. So glad I was ready as this is fun to look at, and for my daughter to see 18 years later.

Bowie and Jagger in make-up

This was the first picture I took the moment I arrived on set. Three cameras around my neck, one loaded with colour daylight film, and a flash, another with tungsten film and the third with black and white. Used to get myself in quite a tangle

Bowie and Jagger

This was the most published picture I ever took. I woke up one morning to find it on the front page of most of the nationals. I miss that feeling.

The 7 inch and 12 inch vinyl cover

I found this a couple of years ago in an old vinyl shop in Frome. I was so excited that I told the man behind the counter it was my photo. He just said, "That will be £3.50 please."

The shoot took place in the old docklands in London all night. Top secret it was. I seem to have a memory of playing cricket with Jagger in the early hours of the morning, drinking about 20 cups of coffee to keep going. They kept dancing all night. The vinyl cover used to be framed and hanging in Abbey Road studios. I doubt it still is.

Bowie and Jagger
Dancing In The Street for Live Aid 1985

This blog is an opportunity for some of my old negs to see the light of day. More pictures of Bowie and Jagger from 'Dancing in the Street' to follow. This picture is a scan from a print I recently produced in my darkroom. Click on the image for a larger view. Love the grain!