I SHOT BAILEY

Flicking through Taschen’s site recently I came across Bailey’s Sumo,
at £2250 it’s not for me but I was reminded that I shot him once. I’d learn later that it was a setup hatched in a noisy newspaper office in Glasgow’s Albion Street.

Of course, I didn’t shoot him exactly. Rather I was commissioned to take his
portrait. He was having an exhibition at the recently opened Dean Gallery
in Edinburgh and editor Cate Devine wanted his image for the cover of The
Herald Saturday Magazine;

“We need it in colour and he won’t supply one”. — Cate Devine (editor)

So off I went to London, complete with the specific instruction that the journalist was to make his entry before I showed up in case Bailey was short on time. The interview took precedence over my shot and I should wait nearby for a text from the journalist confirming his arrival.
It came as planned and, assistant in tow, I knocked on the door which was
promptly answered by his assistant.

”We know nothing about a portrait”
”But I’ve come from Edinburgh just for this. It was arranged by the Herald”
”There is no arrangement and besides, we can supply a portrait”.
“It needs to be colour to make the magazine cover. That’s why I’m here”
”Stay there and let me talk to him”.- He slammed the door.

10 minutes later he returned.

”This is most unusual”
“By the way, I’ve got a present for David from Scotland”
”It’s Bailey ….”
“My apologies”
”…… and he doesn’t drink anymore’
“Well it’s bad luck to return malt whisky to Scotland so please, you take it” — (it
was a serious bottle too).
”thank you, very kind of you. Bailey wants to know what you’re shooting with”

I listed my kit and he disappeared again.
10 minutes later he returned and smiling he explained that we had 15 minutes and led us up the stairs.

”We’d have done exactly the same so relax…… you’re in now”

Bailey greeted us with a frown while the journalist grinned broadly behind his
back.

“I’ve clients coming in at one o'clock and you need to be gone by then. Get set up” …. and softening somewhat….. “use the cove if you want. Need lights”?
“Thanks, but I brought a backdrop and a light”

We set in motion a preplanned drill which consisted of a grey backdrop, a ringflash, 2 rolls of colour transparency and a single roll of black&white.

Within seconds he was sitting in front of my camera chatting about the colour film I was using and complaining about the flash and berating a make-up-artist with

“if it was good enough for [he named a famous model] then it’s good enough for you”.

3 rolls of film later we were finished and shook hands. Another 5 minutes and we were ready to leave when the doorbell went and, earlier than expected, up
came his 1 pm client [a then eminent Irish ‘supergroup’ fronted by a saint].

Back in Scotland, everyone was very happy including the main broadsheet editor who commandeered the image for his pages. My shot never made the magazine cover.

Or was that another setup I didn’t see?

Story by Brendan MacNeil