This Photo Life

Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts and Bruce Weber
attend the Metrolpolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute Gala
New York City,1998

Richard Avedons’s marked up work print with burning and dodging notes for his printer.  The attention to detail is amazing.

“I believe in maniacs. I believe in type As. I believe that you’ve got to love your work so much that it is all you want to do. I believe you must betray your mistress for your work, you betray your wife for your work; I believe that she must betray you for her work. I believe that work is the one thing in the world that never betrays you, that lasts. If I were
going to be a politician, if I were going to be a scientist, I would do it every day. I wouldn’t wait for Monday. I don’t believe in weekends.
If you’re headed for a life that’s only involved with making money and that you hope for satisfaction somewhere else, you’re headed for a lot of trouble. And whatever replaces vodka when you’re 45 is what you’re going to be doing.”

                                                                          -Richard Avedon, 1988

1- Boxing gloves signed by Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.
2- Prince LP “Dirty Mind” from 1980. Prince is the man and the one person I want to shoot more then any other.
3-Guitar signed by Slash.
4-Original Peter Beard
5-Canon AE-1. My first camera.
6-Old Royal typewriter with a photo of Richard Avedon sticking out of it.
7- Picture of Bono & myself. I was so nervous cuz I love him so.
8-My Peter Beard books.
9-“Jazz Life” signed by the Great William Clxton and “Blood Sweat & Tears” signed by Bruce Weber.
10-“Los Angeles” LP by Punk legends X
11-my favorite photo book (maybe) 365 by Sean Ellis
12-My Richard Avedon books.
13-One page story on me in American Photo. The first piece of press I ever got.
14-Helmut Newton books. “Portraits” was the first photo book I ever received.
15-5 boxes of old Kodak Verichrome film dated June 1972. (Thanks Eddie!)
16- Wind-up Hippo given to me years ago by my mom.

Richard “The King” Avedon gives the most ridiculous analogy about art and photography I’ve ever heard. I love the man,but, this is absolutely ridiculous.

WE ALL HAVE DREAMS……

When I was a kid I used to rip apart magazines and cover my walls of my bedroom with pictures. Almost every square inch was covered. Most of the pictures were of actors and movie stills. Stuff from the ’50s. A ton of musicians also. I’ll never forget one I had up; It was a page from Rolling Stone. A picture of Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer. I had never seen so many tattoos in my life. He just looked so…rock n roll. There was no type on the page except for the line BRIAN SETZER BY AVEDON. I had no idea who this ‘Avedon’ person was but I knew he was important and commanded a certain respect. It just stuck with me. 26 years later. I can see it in front of me…BRIAN SETZER BY AVEDON

Photography great Irving Penn died today. He was 92. He was the last remaining master of a certain era. Penn. Avedon. Newton. If you don’t know Irving Penn’s work get the fuck off my blog.