King_leer's Videos Playlist....Summer 2015

Monday 31 August 2009

KEVIN CUMMINS - Let me take your picture !



I don’t know if there’s a perfect “shot” or a perfect moment in time. But, definitely there’s what we can call coincidence. I have this interview with Kevin to post for about three weeks and I’ve scheduled for this weekend. The same weekend that saw Oasis split.

So, now that the Manchester spirit is everywhere, it’s my pleasure to present bellow the words from Kevin Cummins, the legendary photographer that captured some great and unique moments for all of us, music fans. We’ve talked from legends to football from Morrissey to Bowie from art to drugs and above all, about work.

Hope you enjoy this work of ours. Don’t forget to take a look at the relevant links to Kevin’s work at the end of this post.

Cheers,

KL

KING_LEER (KL):


Kevin,

I’ve chosen this one (NME 40th birthday issue) with Morrissey since he’s one the most influent figures of our times – my opinion. If you had to choose or to make a top 5 of the people you think are ones that “best fit” your camera Who would they be?

KEVIN CUMMINS (KC):


Morrissey, Bowie, Courtney Love, Liam Gallagher, Ian Curtis.

KL:


Who was the artist that you liked the most to get his picture, and the worst?

KC:


The best people to photograph are the ones who are aware of the way they look. Having said that, It’s a challenge to get a photograph of someone who’s painfully shy. The worst people to photograph are the ones who’ve been shot thousands of times. They only give you their ‘photograph face’. They don’t let you into their world.

KL:


Since with this post i want the blog readers to better understand what is a chief photographer job when he is connected with the relevant media, can you tell us what was your typical day to day working for a magazine like the NME?

KC:


Weed for breakfast, JD and Coke for lunch and Champagne and Cocaine for dinner, er obviously …

KL:


I believe every record sleeve has history. Can you choose two of them and then explain to us what was behind that particular tiny moment in time?

KC:



This photograph is an urban landscape. The band is incidental – although crucial – to the composition. I
’m interested in the way photography can tell a story. This bleakness explained the essence of Joy Division’s music more eloquently than 1000 words would have done …



MORRISSEY: another urban landscape but the subject is more prominent. It has a reflective quality that I felt Morrissey’s lyrics had at that time …


KL:


Please share with us what Kevin Cummins - the “man behind the invisible mirror” for so many people - is doing besides the photography?

KC:


I still take photos. I have a book coming out on 3 Sept. Check Faber and Faber website for details. I have an exhibition in Manchester from 3 Sept too for a month. Check Richard Goodall Gallery website. I'm also appearing at Crossing Border festival in Den Hague and Antwerp. This is in Nov.

KL:


Is this world of ours a better world to take a picture? This is of course a social question. Feel free to answer in the way you want, regarding social problems, crisis, politics, etc (and in UK like here in Portugal you have many and actual political issues to discuss).

KC:


It becomes more and more difficult to take photos in the UK. We have surveillance cameras everywhere. We have a jack-booted Police force. We have a world population who think they are so media-aware that they assume photographers earn millions of Euros from their work – so consequently they will rarely allow us to photograph them – without asking us for money. I often take travel photographs and it’s becoming very difficult to get natural photos of people. What’s wrong with all you J Let me take your picture J

KL:


Manchester City – You are a huge supporter, right? Are you anti- MU? What do you think about the 94M€ Ronaldo? Good photo or bad photo?

KC:


I have no interest in Ronaldo. He has no personality in his face.

I don’t like Man U . I’ve always supported Manchester City – the true Manchester club.

KL:


Diego Maradona and Juliette Lewis - a marriage made in er hell... – Can you explain that?

KC:


I was asked who I’d like to meet. They were two people I wanted to meet. Then I imagined them as a couple … I’ve recently met Juliette Lewis. She’s lovely.

KL:


Manchester is probably one of the cities in the world that has more great bands per square inch.

What are the major differences between 80’s Manchester and the actual one?

KC:


80s Manchester had a lot of council accommodation. And a lot of student accommodation. The low rents and the subsidized rents allowed young people to spend their time smoking weed and playing music – or dabbling in other creative arts, where it wasn’t necessary to earn a lot of money to survive. Now, all that has gone. If you are young and want to be a musician you need a private income these days. The sound of the working class in Britain is a very faint one.

KL/KC:


I’ll give you a “Manc” name you give me your thoughts on him:

a) Ian Brown: One Love
b) Morrissey: I Wanna be Adored
c) Oasis: Good Times
d) Ian Curtis: Where Angels Play
e) Kevin Cummins: Don’t Stop
f) Vini Reilly: Your Star Will Shine


THE END.



Links:


Personal info:


http://www.kevincummins.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/kevin_cummins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Cummins_(photographer)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kevin-Cummins/39124219564?v=info


Events & Publications:


http://www.richardgoodallgallery.com/

http://www.faber.co.uk/work/manchester-looking-for-light-through-pouring-rain/9780571233755/

0 comentários: