http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 35
Harry Borden
Harry is one of the UK’s finest portrait
photographers and his work has been
widely published. He has won prizes at
the World Press Photo awards (1997 and
1999), and was awarded an Honorary
Fellowship by the RPS in 2014. The National
Portrait Gallery collection holds more than
100 of his images.
Visit http://www.harryborden.co.ukI felt exhausted. There was a great
sense of relief, tempered by the fact
that I was shooting on film so all I
actually had were some latent
images yet to be developed. I didn’t
shoot a Polaroid as a test, as time was
precious and I didn’t want to waste a
frame. However, the b&w close-ups
worked particularly well and one of
them was used on Observer Life’s
cover. All the kerfuffle over taking
down the mirror had been
worthwhile. As I remember saying to
the PR, when she tried to stop me
taking it down: ‘No one will
remember me messing with the
interior of the hotel in 20 years’
time. All that will be left will be the
picture.’ A little awkwardness or
indignity is a small price to pay for a
memorable portrait.
As told to David Clark