Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-04-18)

28 18 April 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

CECIL BEATON

In linewithUK

governmentguidance,the

NationalPortraitGallery,

London,is temporarily

closeduntilfurther

noticein orderto help

containthespreadof

theCOVID-19virus,and

ensurethesafetyand

wellbeingof itsvisitors

andstaff.Forupdatesgo

towww.npg.org.uk

RANKIN

WasCecilBeatonaninspiration
onyourphotography?
‘It’ssuchanhonourtobeaskedtotalk
aboutCecilBeaton.Heis sucha genius
andinspiration.Youcan’tbein fashion
orphotographyandnotbeinfluenced
byhiswork.Hewasgroundbreaking
and,althoughstylisticallyI’mnothing
likehim,I absolutelylove ideas and his
workis fullof those.’

Whatis youropiniononBeaton’s
overallinfluenceonfashion
photographyasanartform?
‘Insomewayshe’soneof thefirst
conceptualphotographers.Hisideas
wereasimportantastheclothesorthe
sitter.Hisimaginationis inspiring.Seeing
beautyin everythingandelegance in
everyimagehecreated.’

Doyouhaveanyfavouritework
ofBeaton’s?
‘Hewassucha prolificphotographer,so
it’sveryhardtochoose.Forexample,
hiswarphotographsareexceptional
andverydifferentfromanyotherwar
photographers.I loveAngeladu
Maurierundera Victorianglassdome.
It’sdefinitelyoneof myfavourites.The
ideaof capturinga person’sheadin the
samewayyou’dcapturea birdora
plantis justsosimplebutextraordinary.
OhandtheGaryCoopersilhouette,the
MarilynMonroeflowersmokingshotor
anyof the‘BrightYoungThings’images,
whicharealljustsobeautifuland
elegant.ThethingaboutBeatonandall
greatphotographersis thathiswork,
althoughverymuchof itstimein the
senseof costume,stylingetc,it is also
verymodernin itsessence. It makes his
worktimeless.’

WhatdoyouthinkBeaton’slegacyis?
‘CecilBeatonis undoubtedlyoneof the
mostimportantphotographersof alltime.
Formehislegacyis thefreedomtobe
experimental.Topushthelimits,never
beconstrainedbyanythingotherthan
yourimaginationandtokeepcreating.
Howevercompulsiveit is, keepcapturing
and creating the world as you see it.’

Left:OliverMessel

in hiscostumefor

ParisinHelen!By

Cecil Beaton, 1932

Farright:Cecil

Beatonand

StephenTennantby

MauriceBeckand

HelenMacgregor,

1927.National

PortraitGallery,

London

Right:AnnaMay

WongbyCecil

Beaton, 1929

Above:TheSilver

SoapSuds(leftto

right:BabaBeaton,

theHonMrsCharles

Baillie-Hamilton

andLadyBridget

Poulett)byCecil

Beaton, 1930

Rankinis a famousBritish
portraitandfashion
photographerandfilm
director.Heco-founded
DazedandConfused
magazineandproducesthe
biannuallifestylemagazine
Hunger. HewasawardedanHonoraryFellowshipby
TheRoyalPhotographicSocietyin 2002.Hehashad
over 40 booksof hisworkpublished,includingthe
small-formatversionof#NSFWin 2019. To find out
more gotowww.rankin.co.uk