David Bailey

David Bailey is a fashion and portrait photographer from Leytonstone in England. He was dyslexic at school which is one of the reasons he fell into photography another thing which contributed to him ending up as a photographer was that he was lover of natural history. David Bailey is extremely celebrated in the fashion photography world he has worked on Vogue covers since the early 1960's after he graduated from being an assistant to fellow fashion photographer John French in 1959. After this he became the decades iconic chronicler with two defining portrait publications David Bailey's box of pin-ups (1965) and Goodbye Baby and Amen (1969). They focused on a new social order that evolved from the decade of change, David Bailey was a leading figure in the Swinging Sixties London scene. Since 1966, David Bailey has also directed several television commercials and documentaries. From 1968 to 1971 he directed and produced TV documentaries titled Beaton, Warhol and Visconti. As well as fashion photography, David Bailey photographed album sleeve art for musicians including The Rolling Stones and Marianne Faithfull.

 This photograph of Twiggy is many famous head shots of her taken by various sixties photographers however I think this one stands out because of the way David Bailey used the formal elements. The formal elements used within this photograph are tone, form and texture. Tone is used to show the shadowing on Twiggys face and the drama of her makeup. Form is used because the form of her as a person creates something which creates shadow. Texture is used due to the fact that the use of tone adds to the texture of both Twiggys jumper and her hair. I like this photo of Twiggy due to the fact I think it is very fitting with the themes of the time.

I like this photograph because the way the formal elements used by Bailey increase the dramatic nature of the photograph. The formal elements used are form, tone and lines. Lines are used because the middle of the photograph is down the center of her face. Tone is used to emphasize the light and the dark areas of the photograph for example her hair, makeup and eyebrows. Form is used to show the shadowy areas of her face to show that she is 3D as a concept.

 This photograph of Kate Moss was taken as a fashion venture for David Bailey, this photograph shows the formal elements of tone, shape, texture and form. I like the way the photographer has set the photo so Kate's collar bones are emphasized. Form is used to show she is 3D, Form is used to show he angular nature of her cheekbones and roots of her hair and lightness of her skin. Texture is used to emphasize her hair and eyes and Shape is used to show the shape of her face and hair.

This photograph of Mick Jagger is probably one of David Bailey's most famous along with that of Kate Moss and Twiggy. The formal elements used in this photograph (As so in the other photographs due to this being David Bailey's main styling) were form, shape, texture and tone. Form was used to show the 3D shape of Mick Jagger's face.  Texture was used to show the fluffiness of the collar on micks throw and the furiness of it. Shape was used to emphasize the features of Micks face, another formal element used to show a similar thing would be the aforementioned form. Tone was used to add depth to Micks face rather than have it all a faded grey its full of light whites and dark blacks.

How I was Influenced…

David Bailey has increased my interest in fashion photography and the idea of portraits. I would like to experiment by perhaps doing my own fashion and beauty shoots and focusing on people, clothes and makeup similar to the ways fashion photographers do. I love the photographs that David Bailey takes because they have stayed the same throughout his whole career which spans over half a century, I love the way his Vogue covers from 1992 are reminiscent of his Vogue covers from 1961, the colours and styles are all very similar the same way his photographs of Twiggy and Mick Jagger are similar to that of Kate Moss. If I was to do a shoot the same way David Bailey I would keep the monochrome theme, dramatic posing and emphasis of expression whereas I may drop the hair blowing. After studying David Bailey I feel connected to his photographs not only because of their natural beauty of the human form but also their historical relevance, for example I adore the way he has captured some of the most famous, inspirational people with his camera lens. In my opinion I think portrait photography and fashion photography such as this is some of the most beautiful work in the world despite the fact they are staged they still have some air of natural grace about them and David Bailey - one of the most iconic fashion photographers in the recent period - creates this type of photography brilliantly.


Since studying David Bailey I have taken many photos which I think are similar to his style. This particular photo I have chosen I thought has the same elements as a lot of David Bailey's photographs, it is very posed and she is making a point of her facial expression, I used the photo frame in the picture in the same way David Bailey has used the coat that Mick Jagger is wearing, plus the exaggerated facial expression of my model is similar to the one that Twiggy wears in the first photograph I annotated.