David Bowie

Before his Mexico City concert, David commissioned me to photograph him in front of various murals painted by 20th century Mexican artists, such as Rivera, Siqueiros and Orozco. This was for an article... read more he was writing for the magazine ’Modern Painters’ - he is on the editorial board. During a visit to the ’Palacio de Bellas Artes’, Bowie stopped to study this mural by Diego Rivera. Suddenly his figure seemed to merge into the painting and I was able to confirm why he is also known as ’The Chameleon.’ Please Note: this print is now a considerable way through the edition. Due to this the remaining prints are a higher price. Enquire at your local gallery or email us for up to date information.

Taken on 7 January 1973 with the connivance of Bob Brown, Newcastle City Hall’s manager. Bowie’s management had put a freeze on any unofficial photography, so, with the help of a steward’s... read more armband, a torch and instructions to be "discreet", I was able to capture Ziggy in all his glory and got my first ever scoop!

We did the shoot just before going to see the premier of Andy Warhol’s ’Heat’. David’s clothes were a tryout for the "Jean Genie" promo (we didn’t call them videos... read more then) that I shot and directed in San Francisco.

"Everyone looks so bad in their passport photos, so lets do a really bad one!" - David Bowie.

David Bowie was looking for a photographer he hadn’t worked with before, and my name was put forward. Bowie and his then manager/personal assistant/lover Coco looked at my book, and I was commissioned... read more to shoot stills of the ’Loving the Alien’ video, and pictures for the single sleeve. When I arrived at the studio on the morning of the shoot, loaded down with camera gear, this cool-looking geezer with piercing blue eyes walked up to me, held out his hand and said, "Hi, I’m David. You must be Steve." Dunno who he was....

David Bowie photographed with a mask, in Mexico City.

David Bowie at home, smoking in bed.

David Bowie drawing in his flat, left handed!

Heading back to London from Japan, the long way, I’d only just acquired a Nikormat, that Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita got me (trade price), my first decent camera, for its ease of use for... read more a novice. I at least pride myself, not knowing the camera, in getting the composition right, the other thing I love about this shot is that, although David, clearly, strikes a pose the image is still unguarded and natural. David reciprocated by taking one of me in exactly the same spot --- believe me --- it’s a bugger.

I believe the scene was shot in an Japanese restaurant in LA, if so I remember David and myself being fairly wired, yet this shot (to my eyes) does not betray this. This is an image, although originally... read more shot in black and white, of an early 1940’s movie star hence the sepia finish I decided upon.

David in Ziggy makeup 1973. This shot was taken backstage on the British Tour before a show. David was reading a review and I sneaked this shot with a zoom lens I already had on the Nikon so as not to... read more disturb the Image. To this day, I find it remarkable how calm he is only moments before showtime.

When I was dropped (quite rightly) from my Bowie stand in roll for --- well -- for looking completely and utterly different to him. I took advantage of my free time and the wonderful New Mexico light and... read more picked up my Nikon.This image of David is one of my favourites. I particularly like it for its raw honesty.

This shot was taken while recording the Station to Station album; David is seen here working out guitar parts. I was the only backing vocalist on these sessions so the voices you hear on, say, Golden years... read more are just Bowies and mine.

David chose this image, From The Man Who Fell To Earth 1975, for RCA Records publicity posters in the late seventies. I love the lines of this image, there seems to be a seamless energy drawn in by the... read more unseen source of fire. I feel some guilt in as much as I turned him on to the Gitane cigarette he’s lighting, in my defence (and his) we did smoke this brand for aesthetic reasons being the delightful artwork on the packet by M. Ponty of a gypsy dancer in a plume of smoke.

This shot was taken early on, inside The Tran Siberian Express. Our dress code rapidly fell away after about two days into the long journey.The jacket David is wearing is a Freddie Burretti original (David’s... read more personnel tailor) with his bright red hair and unconventional clothing Bowie didn’t exactly blend in with the stark surroundings of Siberia/Russia.

This was a really special performance as it was Bowie's first since announcing his retirement a couple of months before, although this was obviously not the case, it was the last time his Ziggy Stardust... read more alter ego was to make an appearance. The Marquee that night was an audience made up of 99% Bowie fanclub members and would have been a closed gig if it were not for the fact that i knew the clubs manager, Jack Barrie, as i was a regular. After the Marquee, the regulars would head over to The Speakeasy club, it was there i first met Chris Welch, editor of Melody Maker, and we ended up meeting for a few drinks together from then on.

A school-friend of Bowie’s, George was commissioned to design a cover for a live album while traveling with Bowie on his ‘Ziggy Stardust’ American tour in the autumn of 1972. He worked... read more on the design in Los Angeles but unfortunately, plans for a live album from the tour were shelved and the artwork ended up on the wall at Bowie’s management, Mainman. There it remained until recently. When George was reunited with his album artwork the only “damage” was that some of the Indian ink used in the design had faded due to exposure to the light. Thanks to the wonders of digital technology the original colour has been restored.

David Bowie sitting at home.

In a recent BBC poll the 1970’s were voted the greatest decade in music. It is not unfair to say that without Bowie that would not have been the case; a rock chameleon that not only changes with... read more the times but still dictates them. Bowie is still one of the most magnetic singers around, as this shot attests too, even though it was taken 30 years after Ziggy Stardust left the Hammersmith Odeon and went back to Mars.

I love this completely unguarded shot of David, this was taken at the end of a particularly long and grueling day of interior shooting under hot lights. I took this in between camera’s rolling with... read more only one light source and no flash; I like the combination of Bowie’s hair tone and the orange glow given of by the lamp.

I’m in make up with DB and we’re larking around taking shots in the mirror. I wish I could claim design over this little gem but in truth I think it’s a happy accident, Obviously I took... read more the shot (it isn’t cropped) but I don’t recall really being with it, all I can say is it’s my happy accident.

I love the look of complete concentration on David’s face taking on board instructions from director Nicholas Roeg on the set of The Man Who Fell To Earth 1975. I remember wanting to take a shot... read more with both of them in the frame and, thankfully, changing my mind at the last split second.

We were given a list of do’s and don’ts when we arrived in Siberia to board The Tran Siberian Express, what we could or couldn’t photograph so David was breaking a whole stack of rules... read more by filming the event considering the amount of hardware on show, that’s why his looking a little furtive.

David sleeping of a long night of boozing somewhere in Siberia 1973, We drank cheap Riesling wine and beer (peeva) with a bunch of soldiers we met the night before, they were friendly and inquisitive as... read more to what life was like in the west, when we asked them what they did in the army they said they were in the construction unit. You can just make out the bleak Siberian landscape through the window.