David Bailey

Photography research on studio photographers

David Royston Bailey

Born in Leytonstone, England on Jan 2^nd 1938

Born in Leytonstone, England, David Bailey had to gather some jam sandwiches and head to the cinema with his family because it was cheaper than putting on the gas fire. He said “I bet we saw at least seven to eight movies a week” David had a terrible time when he was three years old. He remembered those bombs from World War two hitting his house. (Alfred Hitchcock lived the road opposite)

In one school year he only attended around 34 times and left school on his birthday when he turned fifteen. From there he became a copy boy for the Yorkshire Post. After he done his dead end jobs, Mr Bailey got called up for National Service.

While in the RAF (Royal Air Force, 1957) in Singapore David had his trumpet taken off of him and instead he bought a Rolleiflex camera. In August 1958 he was demobbed and wanted to peruse a career in photography so he went out a bought a Canon rangefinder camera. He wasn’t allowed to attend London College of Printing because of his school record so he became the second hand man of David Ollins.

He acted as the studio dogsbody while earning £3.50 a week (£3 10 shillings) He was happy when he was called to have an interview with photographer John French. He was for John Cole’s Studio Five before offered a contract for fashion photographer for British Vogue magazine later the same year.

David Bailey has taken many photos but he’s most famous photo is of Queen Elizabeth II.

David Bailey took and released this photo in celebration of the Queen 88^th birthday.

He also took a picture of other many famous people including:

Michael Caine

Here Michael Caine looks very sinister. David cropped the image to you as a viewer to only focus on the foreground (Michael) and not the background.

Mick Jagger

In this photo David Bailey wanted to pull off the eskimo type of feel with Mick Jagger. That or he is freezing cold. Once again David has gone with the close up portrait so we can focus on him and only him.