A Sense of Drama and Elegance
Scottish photographer Albert Watson is one of the most exciting photographers of his generation, with an unparalleled diversity of work uniquely blending art, fashion, and commercial genres. Born in 1942 and raised in Edinburgh, Watson initially pursued graphic design at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design before transitioning first to film and television at the Royal College of Art in London and then into photography, a decision that would shape his illustrious career. His work often exudes a sense of drama and elegance, whether he is photographing Kate Moss or magnificent still live photographs of King Tutankhamun’s artifacts. One of his most famous images is the portrait of Alfred Hitchcock holding a plucked goose, a testament to his ability to infuse storytelling, surprise and intrigue into his photographs.
A Master of the Craft
Albert Watson moved to Los Angeles in 1970 with his wife Elizabeth and began his photography career. That year, he met an art director at Max Factor who offered him his first test shoot session, from which the company bought two shots. Looking back at his beginnings in the medium, Watson recalls,
“I kind of just felt very, very comfortable with photography when I first came in touch with it as a graphic designer. It fitted me perfectly. When you find something that fits perfectly then it will always cause you to be passionate, and you’re onto a good thing. That overriding passion tends to dominate your life.”
Relocating to New York in 1976 he shot his first Vogue cover, and began working for top magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle, GQ, and Rolling Stone. His photographs have graced numerous international advertising campaigns, solidifying his reputation as a master of the craft.
In addition to his commercial work, Watson has always kept a special interest in personal projects, where his versatility is evident in his ability to seamlessly transition between different genres, always imbuing his work with an artistry and sophistication. Although his editorial work has taught Watson to work contextually honed his skills collaborating with editors and art directors, he was always on the search for uniqueness and creativity in his images where inspiration and reference have been the driving forces. His personal subjects have generally been simple;
“‘a field of grass, a very simple peninsula jutting out into the sea. And how could (I) make this picture more emotional, more strange, more unusual, more magical and, for the most important thing, more memorable?”
Golden Boy
One of these personal projects that best fuses Albert Watson’s emphasis on conceptualization and technical expertise is his image taken in 1990, titled Golden Boy. Shooting an ad campaign for Gap at the time, one of Watson’s models was a five-year-old boy who he had to shoot in a denim shirt, planned as a straightforward shot. When Watson went behind the camera, he saw that the boy was ‘superb looking’ and spoke to his mother to see if they could come back for another shot later that night. Watson had the idea to give the boy a metallic, almost bronze-like look. He chose to use an 8 x 10 camera and a standard lens instead of a portrait to give the picture a slightly surreal quality. Positioning his subject only about a foot away in front of the lens, he put a light right on top of the lens and asked the boy to stare directly at the light.
“My subjects” says Watson, “react to light in various ways. I am primarily interested in their own specific answer to the conditions present.”
After taking only four frames, the boy asked if he could go home. As all four frames were shot in black and white, Watson reintroduced the bronze in the dark room, which gave the effect of tinting the model’s skin and turning his originally jet black hair almost blonde. The light contrasts create texture in the boy’s hair and further accentuate the structure of his face. Although simple, there is a striking multidimensionality to the portrait, where the viewer feels like they are looking at a statue. Golden Boy presents itself as a true example of Watson’s continued search ‘for an image that has power’. His artistic vision, which stems from Watson’s never-ending curiosity in art and life itself, allows the artist to be fully aware at all times, always looking, allowing him to see and conceptualize an image before taking it. The Golden Boy shows how ideas, imagination, and Watson’s knowledge of photography can translate into captivating images.
A Legacy
Through his innovative approach and creative vision, Albert Watson has created his legacy as one of the most iconic photographers of our time, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire and captivate audiences around the globe. His vast career includes numerous honors, including a Lucie Award, a Grammy Award, three Andys, a Der Steiger Award, a Hasselblad Masters Award; and the Centenary Medal, a lifetime achievement award from the Royal Photographic Society. Queen Elizabeth II awarded the Scotsman an Order of the British Empire (OBE). Watson has had solo exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in Milan, Italy; the KunstHausWien in Vienna, Austria; the City Art Centre in Edinburgh; the FotoMuseum in Antwerp, Belgium; the NRW Forum in Dusseldorf, Germany; the Forma Galleria in Milan; Fotografiska in Stockholm, Sweden; the Multimedia Art Museum in Moscow; the Museum of Kyoto, Japan; and the Deichtorhallen in Hamburg, Germany. The Photo District News has named Albert one of the 20 most influential photographers of all time, along with Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, among others.