Born in 1948, in South London, Colin Prime attended St. Michael’s and All Angels Comprehensive and then the London School of Printing and Graphic Arts. On leaving school he followed his older brother (Tony Prime) into photography. He joined a commercial photographic printing house to learn darkroom skills. In the late sixties although he enjoyed the darkroom side, he also wanted to get behind the camera and joined Fleetwood Publications as a trainee photographer working on Honey and Petticoat magazines.
As his career moved on he worked alongside people like Len Fulford, Morgan Rank, and Vic Savage.
He still enjoyed working in the darkroom, and working with Gerry Dickens he printed for photographers such as David Bailey, Helmut Newton, David Hamilton, Clive Arrowsmith and Richard Avedon when he was in London.
Colin’s other love was music and not playing or singing a note decided to try his hand as a Disc Jockey. It was while he was hanging around the clubs he came across a group just starting out called Pink Floyd which led to setting up the bands first professional photo shoot. Syd Barrett used one of his photos as the design for the back cover of their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
Colin decided to stay in music as a full time career, in the early days working alongside the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, Otis Redding, Rolling Stones, Santana and Bob Marley but unfortunately did not carry a camera with him!
After over twenty years in the music industry, Colin made another career change and went into the IT industry, which he stayed in until he passed away on 7th October 2013.
The original Pink Floyd line-up on their first ever photo shoot in Kennington Park, London
For their first photo shoot, Colin Prime took the band down to Ruskin park. All the guys were in high spirits at the time
This was Pink Floyd’s first official photo shoot. Although a photographer by trade, Colin Prime’s other love was music
Miles Davis with John Coltrane during the recording sessions for 'Kind of Blue' at Columbia Studios in New York in the Spring of 1959
Alternative version of Gered Mankowitz's classic shot of Jimi Hendrix smoking taken at his Mason's Yard Studio in London, 1967.
Adam Ant posing as the Dandy Highwayman on the set of Stand and Deliver at Hatfield House in Spring 1981.
Elvis Presley pop art print by Horace Panter inspired by the work 'Self-portrait with Badges' by Sir Peter Blake.
Joy Division (originally named Warsaw), an English rock band formed in 1976 were one of the pioneers of the post-punk movement.
Björk Guðmundsdóttir, (born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk is an Icelandic singer-songwriter.
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 & considered one of the most innovative & influential rock bands in history.
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960 and widely regarded as the most influential acts of the rock era.
Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.
Artist Morgan Howell's paintings of record sleeves have become cult classics. We are delighted to introduce a range of his affordable prints
When it comes to rock photography Michael Putland has done it all, having shot the biggest name in rock & pop from Abba to Zappa.
During his 30 year career Jake Chessum has shot defining images of musicians such as Amy Winehouse, Jay Z, The Beastie Boys & David Bowie.
