Ages ago I
mentioned finding some David Hamilton images from a 70s magazine called
Show. I found the magazine at a huge
warehouse sale amongst stacks and stacks of old magazines and paper ephemera. I promised scans at the time, but a cluttered household kept me from getting it done. I rediscovered the magazine during the move, so here I am six months later, delivering that prolonged promise.
I've admired David Hamilton's work for a long time. Maybe it's because he photographs pretty girls in fields, wearing sheer white dresses and floral sunhats, carrying delicate parasols. It seems to really fit my style. I'm constantly looking at his work for inspiration, and as much as I adore his photographs, I really appreciate the behind the scenes perspective of this article. It's from April of 1970 and it talks about how he quit his job as a top magazine photographer in London to pursue a free-lance career. He bought a 800-year-old house in the Saracen village of Ramatuelle (Southern France) and invited his models to come live with him for weeks or months at a time. Ewa and Irja are the two featured in this editorial. They're both Swedish, ages 17 and 18.
As much as it sounds like a Charlie Sheen-goddess situation, I actually think David Hamilton's tactics were brilliant. Having his models live with him must have allowed for a very creative and productive household. And unlike ol' Charlie, he always delivered a tasteful perspective –– never raunchy.
I like the over the shoulder views of him with his camera and the girls in the background. It's nice to be in his line of sight –– very helpful for a wannabe photographer trying to scramble ideas together for a shoot. You can find more photos on my
flickr page if you're interested.
