articles/Fashion/johnswannell-page3

John Swannell - part 3 of 1 2 3

Published 01/02/2010

He adds: 'My assistant Robert makes sure I stay in touch with all the latest equipment. He's always browsing in a Calumet store or on their website hunting down the next 'vital' piece of equipment we need.'

After decades at the top, his business acumen has never waned.

He recalls. 'Years ago I bought an old leather bag for £7 from an Oxfam shop. It had loads of pockets in it and was perfect for my kit. But Helmut Newton became obsessed with it and offered to buy it for $100. I refused. He increased his offer to $500. I still said no. Then he said he thought there must be something of his that he could swap. I told him he could give me a signed print of the wonderful cover image on his book, White Women. In the end he agreed. I sold that image 20 years later for £23,000.'

Financial risk is often part of the territory for a photographer like John Swannell. 'I spend a fortune on some of my own personal shoots' he points out. Studio hire is about £1,000 a day, then there's model fees, make-up, retouching. By the time I get the picture right I've spent thousands - and that's all speculative. I do it in the hope that someone will one day want to buy a print from me.'

But he's generous too. Lady Bamford (part of the JCB dynasty) recently asked him to take her passport photograph. 'She turned up in a chauffeurdriven Rolls Royce,' he laughs. 'And she made the point that if the picture was to be on her passport for 10 years it ought to at least be a good one. I just couldn't bring myself to charge her for that!'

Now, after six successful books, various exhibitions and a glorious 40 years, he has started a new personal project that includes portraits of women with snakes...' but not in the way you think'.

'I'm shooting more landscapes too but I do still love the fashion and portrait work. I am enjoying myself just as much now as when I first started out. I love the romance of it all. The wonderful thing about being a photographer is that you can become a star. I really don't put myself in the same league as Bailey or Newton but I have had a great time.'

And retirement? 'I have no plans at all to retire. As long as I still love what I am doing I will carry on. Work has always been more important than the money. I haven't made a fortune but I'm comfortable.'

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