There are fine art photographers who do fashion
campaigns or fashion editorials. Here, it’s easier to
go from being a fine art photographer to fashion. Is it
that way in Europe?
I think it’s exactly the same. We represent Sarah Moon
and Guy Bourdin, both of whom have made that leap, as
did Avedon. I think part of it is that the pictures in themselves
are timeless and the product does not control the
picture. The photographer’s signature controls the picture.
That creates a distinction. Sometimes fashion photography
is fine and, sometimes, 20 or 30 years after it’s
taken it gets better than fine. Obviously, time will tell. But I
do think one of the reasons that his work is so loved, and
so collected, and so popular, is that he does not allow the
fashion to control the picture.
Tim has done some film, do you see him going more
in this direction?
No, it’s just a part of the way he expresses himself. I think
he’s “visual,” to be honest. I don’t think he’s tied to anything.
He doesn’t use photography as a crutch or as a
cave. I think Tim is someone who likes to express himself
and likes to do it in as many different and creative and
positive ways as he can. But the consistency is so important.
I’m sure you’d agree [with a photography book] you
just want to turn every page and be delighted. Not say:
“Well, there was that one at the beginning and one at the
end that I liked.” I think Tim’s way of being consistent is to
challenge himself all the time.
Do you feel that, because of new technology, it’s important
for artists to move into motion?
I think it would be a very sad state of affairs if everyone
followed down that path. Everyone’s looking for something
new, but . . . it’s what you do with [the technology]
that’s really important . . . One of the strengths Tim has
— it’s not his denial of technology, it’s the fact that he
doesn’t feel he needs it. He doesn’t use it to ‘dress the
mutton up as lamb,’ as we would say.
of other fashion, but most of it is transitory. Every day, I
get calls for Guy Bourdin from people who weren’t even
born when he died. They come in here with their mouths
on the floor thinking: ‘no Photoshop, nothing?’ I honestly
think that Photoshop has done more damage to photography,
in a way, than it has helped. It’s a quick fix, but
as a creative tool, I think it prevents photographers from
developing their own style. If every photographer pushes
his or her work through the same program, there’s a limit
to what it can look like. I like to see photographers handmaking
things.
What would your advice be to an emerging photographer
today?
Give up. Give up, now! Quick! It’s a tough job out there.
You’ve got to find your own signature. You’ve got to be
able to say: ‘there’s no one else who could have taken
that.’ Seriously, I say to most pros: ‘you’re heading into
the great dark unknown and it’s an impossible job and
you should look for something a little easier, like firefighting
or something.’
You’re kidding, you really say that to people?
I do, I’m afraid. I think it’s one of the toughest things to
be really good at. There are lots of people who make a
fantastic living. It’s a great life being a photographer. If
you simply want to make a living that’s one thing, if you
want to create a legend or testament to your talent … I
think if you’re conscious of that you’ll fail straight away.
But, I think it’s an obsession. It’s something that has to fill
your waking and sleeping hours. Most photographers will
tell you that it’s an exhausting profession because every
moment of the day that you’re using your eyes, you’re
looking for that picture . . . but, for commercial photography,
it’s not necessarily about looking, it’s about making
money and who you’re working for. I think they’re two
quite different things.
I think that’s so refreshing, I truly do.
That’s what I would title the article, “Tim is Refreshing.”
. . . I think the greatest fashion photographer in the
world today, unequivocally, is Viviane Sassen. Tim and
I talk about her endlessly. She bucks all of the trends;
she takes black people in the midday sun, in the heart of
Africa, and lets their faces go dark, and creates a wonderful
visual sculpture. Sarah Moon is another person I
have great faith in. I’m not saying we won’t look at a lot