David Bailey

David Bailey shot to fame in the 60s, becoming one of the first photographers to gain the same notoriety as the celebrities he photographed.

Born in London’s East End in 1938, David bought his first Rollieflex during his National Service in Malaysia; after demobbing, London fashion photographer John French hired him as an assistant in 1959.

In May 1960, he was a photographer for John Cole's Studio Five before being contracted as a fashion photographer for British Vogue magazine later that year. He also undertook a large amount of freelance work.

Along with Terence Donovan and Brian Duffy, Bailey captured and helped create the 'Swinging London' of the 1960s: a culture of fashion and celebrity chic. The three photographers socialised with actors, musicians and royalty, and found themselves elevated to celebrity status. Together, they were the first real celebrity photographers, named by Norman Parkinson "the Black Trinity".

In 1964, he released a collection of half toned prints called Box of Pin Ups featuring photographs of celebrities including The Beatles, notorious East London gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray.