Conversation between photographer Brian Duffy and Grant Scott

Scott, Grant ORCID: 0000-0003-2882-1380 (2010) Conversation between photographer Brian Duffy and Grant Scott. [Audio]

Audio brian duffy.WMA Available under License All Rights Reserved. Download (15MB)

Abstract

Brian Duffy (15 June 1933 – 31 May 2010) was an English photographer and film producer, best remembered for his fashion and portrait photography of the 1960s and 1970s. In 1957 Duffy was hired by British Vogue working under art director John Parsons where he remained working until 1963. During this time he worked closely with top models Jean Shrimpton (who he introduced to David Bailey), Paulene Stone, Joy Weston, Jennifer Hocking and Judy Dent. With fellow photographers; David Bailey and Terence Donovan, Duffy was a key player in the 'Swinging Sixties' - a culture of high fashion and celebrity chic. Together the 'Black Trinity' as affectionately named by Norman Parkinson (and only ever referred to by their surnames), redefined not only the aesthetic of fashion photography but also the place of the photographer within the industry. In 1965 Duffy was asked to shoot the second Pirelli calendar which was shot on location in the south of France. He was commissioned to shoot the calendar again in 1973 (one of very few photographers commissioned to shoot two) which he created in collaboration with British pop artist Allen Jones and air brush specialist Philip Castle. In 1968 he set up a film production company with Len Deighton called Deighton Duffy and went on to produce the film adaptations of Deighton's book Only When I Larf (1967),[4] and of the musical Oh! What a Lovely War, which was released in 1969. Continuing Duffy's lifelong interest in the First World War in 1985 he directed Lions Led By Donkeys for Channel 4 TV. Duffy had an eight-year working relationship with the artist David Bowie and shot five key sessions over this period providing the creative concept as well as the photographic image for three album covers,[5] including the 1973 Aladdin Sane (often nicknamed 'the Mona Lisa of pop') when Duffy interpreted Bowie's original title of 'A Lad Insane' as 'Aladdin Sane', 1979 Lodger and 1980 Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). Duffy's input had a significant influence on the creation of Bowie's chameleon-like public image and in 2014 Chris Duffy and Kevin Cann co-authored a book chronicling these shoots titled Duffy Bowie: Five Sessions. In 1979 Duffy abruptly gave up photography attempting to burn many of his negatives in his studio yard but fortunately neighbours objected to the acrid smoke, the council were called and much of his work was saved. Although a large number of his images were lost the ones that remain stand collectively as a comprehensive visual history of twenty-five years of British culture and fashion. Duffy moved onto television commercials and in 1981 joined the film production company Lewin Matthews and in 1983 Duffy directed the music video for Spandau Ballet's "Gold", ABC's "All Of My Love" and two pop videos for The Human League. Between 1984 and 1986 Duffy worked for Paul Kramer Productions in New York. Upon his return he set up his own film production company 3DZ with his two sons Chris and Carey and pioneered the Super16 film format shooting TV commercials and pop videos including the British Steel flotation in 1988. By 1990 Duffy retired from all image making and followed his lifelong passion for furniture restoration and became an accredited BAFRA (British Antique Furniture Restoration Association) restorer. The story of his life and work is documented in a BBC documentary shown in January 2010 titled The Man Who Shot the 60's.

Item Type:	Audio
Subjects:	T Technology > TR Photography
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Creative Arts
Research Priority Areas:	Culture, Continuity, and Transformation
Depositing User:	Grant Scott
Date Deposited:	03 Jul 2017 11:30
Last Modified:	31 Aug 2023 09:24
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/4718

University Staff: Request a correction | Repository Editors: Update this record