Wednesday 21 November 2012

Brian Griffin

Brian Griffin is photographer and has been for over 40 years. He started taking photographs using a film camera. He didn't go to university to get a degree, he just has a diploma.
Tony Ray Jones influenced him to do his work. When Brian was younger, nobody encouraged him to have a career in photography, even his family, because they looked down on photography and didn't think you could make money out of photography.

When Brian finished his diploma, he did a bit of travelling, which inspired him to take lots of documentary style photographs, of whatever he came across, mainly street scenes.
Another person who inspired him, was Barney Bubbles. He recommends everyone to check him out.
He took many portrait photos which he then got his friend, Barney to illustrate the pictures with lines - different sorts of lines like straight wavy etc. This was a self published book.

He made his own lighting equipment as he didn't have a lot of money when he started out. He shot the portrait images of his friend, Barney in his apartment as his backdrop - he used what was around him.
He said it has taken many years for people to acknowledge him and his work. He was also inspired by Casper David Friedrick . He knew from the beginning that photography was going tobe his life, and he desperately wanted to make it as a photographer.

He has dones commissions for magazines to earn money (Financial Times). He always thinks of a concept before he takes pictures for an art project.
Deep down he wanted to be a fashion photographer, but ended up taking photos of business men. He thought this was ok to get started and start earning money. As the 80's approached he became more and more famous - people commission him for art projects as well - varying his work.
He always had a side project alongside the commissions he did. - personal project.

He went on to get a studio as he had a budget to work with as time went on.
He liked working with other artists. Barney Bubbles was a graphic designer. hey got money to make a newspaper £4,500. The art world began to support him. When he first started trying to sell his work, nobody was interested in buying it but now he sells books for £300 or more.
He was experimental - did double exposures and played around with light - long exposures and more.
He has also took photographs for album covers.

Brian took photos of politicians and people in high up positions.
He has taken photos throughout the midlands - Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby, Burton and so on.
He is very good at thinking of ideas. Some projects required a team of people. Some images - the tie series - in Broadgate are quite funny. He took those photos in 1987 - it was a response to the development theme.
He also did a series for the workers of Broadgate.
The next series he did was 'Water People' corporate job. He used a variety of equipment for this.
Sometimes he made films in response to his ideas - in Iceland. This was shot on a compact camera - for this he did a series of portraits in London, walking round a building site, so the made him a studio to allow him to achieve his goal, which was to take lots of photographs.

He has embraced digital photgraphy. Recently he has made work about his life. He goes out of his way to take his photos, and he gets what he is aiming for.
He has photographed people who have taken an important role in the olympics. "Part of being a photographer is giving your subject confidence. You need good people skills if you want to be a good photographer." He quoted. He observed people getting married in China, and he took some series of photographs of weddings in China.
On the 8th, 9th and 10th March 2013 He will be taking part in the Format Festival. He will be exhibiting his work, in Derby.





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