In the moment
With a body of work that ranges from Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones to covers for Vogue, Cleo and Australian Geographic, Immanuel Arts Festival photographer in focus Colin Beard has enjoyed an extraordinary life behind the lens.
WORDS KYLIE JACKES
When he arrived in Australia as a Ten Pound Pom in 1961, Colin Beard had never picked up a camera, let alone considered a career as a photographer. An engineer by trade, he arrived in Melbourne simply looking for a change of scenery. But after peering through the lens of a Pentax Spotmatic and taking a few snapshots of friends, Colin’s focus shifted to photography and he quickly immersed himself in the ‘60s pop scene, shooting the likes of The Rolling Stones, Sonny and Cher, and Janis Joplin.
Sitting in his office at Yandina’s Sunshine Coast School of Photography, the 71-year-old reflects on those heydays with great nostalgia. “I was 26 when I first picked up a camera, so I was a relative latecomer to photography, but I think when you have a latent passion within you your spark has to be ignited and it has to come at the right time. For me it was then,” he says. A self-professed “visual person”, with an insatiable curiosity about people, body language, shape and form, beautiful imagery captured Colin’s attention at a young age. “I used to go into the newsagents and flip through the fashion magazines and hope no one thought I was gay,” he says with a chuckle. “I was fascinated by the way the shots were composed. Some of the first photos that really inspired me were taken by (French photographer) Jeanloup Sieff. He blew me away.”
Colin’s fledgling photography career took off in 1966 when he became friends with Melbourne university students Tony Schauble and Phillip Frazer. They pooled their talents and meagre resources to found Go-Set, Australia’s first pop music magazine. With a limited budget, Colin preferred to spend money on film stock rather than pay himself. “I didn’t want to get paid, I just wanted to take photos. To pay the rent I sold pin-up photos on the side,” he says. Acclaimed for his fresh, original approach to photography, Colin explains his creativity was borne out of necessity. “We didn’t have a budget to do anything fancy, but I had to fill 32 pages each week so I had to think of different locations to take bands for shoots,” he says.
“I would go down back lanes in St Kilda and take them to the graveyard in Elwood and work with the different angles there. You really had to think on your feet. You couldn’t take many shots either because film was expensive and the more shots you took the more work it was to develop.” Often working on the fly, one of Colin’s most memorable shoots was during The Rolling Stones’ first tour of Australia. “They were performing in Sydney and no one could get near them,” he recalls. “I made myself a press pass and flashed it quickly in front of security but they didn’t let me through to see them. We knew where they were staying, though, so I went back to their hotel with a journalist and a guy walked in saying ‘parcel for Mr Jagger.’
We both jumped up and Doug (Panther), the journalist, grabbed the parcel and we went up to their room. They were about to leave for Brisbane and were packing their bags. Mick said I could take photographs but I only had 10 minutes. So I went into each room and took two shots of each of them. I had no idea if it was going to work. Later though when they were published and Mick Jagger saw the photos he said they were the best photos ever taken of them.” Entirely self taught, Colin learnt to develop film and make black and white prints after reading several articles in the Australasian Post. During the early stages of his career he even converted his bathroom into a makeshift dark room.
After two years with Go-Set, Colin accepted an offer from British Airways to travel to America and the UK where he toured with bands such as The Troggs, Spencer Davis Group, The Hollies, The Small Faces and The Who. It was a dream job for a rock and roll devotee but Colin admits he was never a big pop fan, instead preferring jazz and blues. “I got to know the bands well and meeting all those people was fascinating but I was never overwhelmed or starstruck, and I think that helped me get better shots,” he says. Shifting from rock and roll to fashion in the ‘70s, Colin spent 10 years shooting for Vogue and Cleo and shot every cover for Dolly in its first year.
Working predominantly with slide film, Colin points out these early covers were not retouched. “Once I took the shot there was no manipulation with it on computers,” he says. These days, despite the ability to radically modify digital photographs with editing software, Colin prefers to leave photos largely untouched and loves the simplicity of black and white. “I love it for two reasons,” he explains. “I think people respond to black and white better because it removes the image a little bit from reality and the darker tones also give it a bit more glamour.”
With a passion for photojournalism, explaining that “photography is not just about producing pretty pictures”, Colin has travelled extensively throughout the country working for Australian Geographic magazine. He has also collaborated with good friend, writer James Cowan, on a series of large scale books including Sacred Places, The River People and The Mountain Men, which documented the people and places along the Snowy River in New South Wales. Colin, who spent more than two decades lecturing at the Sydney College of the Arts and the University of Technology Sydney, moved to the Sunshine Coast seven years ago.
While he finds it too hot in summer, the area and ever-changing natural light are a joy to explore. “Driving around, I always find inspiration and I’m addicted to light. I love the way it influences and changes things,” he says. With a belief that everyone can produce wonderful photos, Colin’s enthusiasm for photography is palpable. “I have a real passion for passing on what I know and I feel this is what I am meant to be doing. A lot of students have creative energy, which just needs to be kindled, and my job is lighting that spark. A camera is only a tool; it’s what you do with it that’s important,” he says.
Colin Beard is the photographer in focus at the annual Immanuel Arts Festival running from May 20-23 at the Buderim campus in Wises Rd. Alongside artist in focus Jacqui Seckold, he will offer critiques and advice to aspiring artists and photographers. Artists in residence, potter Cathy Lawley and painter Carolyn Sheather, will also run workshops.
The festival features an exhibition and sale of more than 1000 paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, photography and creative arts. It is open on May 21-22 from 9am-5pm and May 23 from 10am-2pm. Entry is $5. Details: Phone 5477 3457 or visit www.immanuel.qld.edu.au/events/arts-festival
Story: Kylie Jackes, Issue 627, May 20th, 2010.
With a body of work that ranges from Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones to covers for Vogue, Cleo and Australian Geographic, Immanuel Arts Festival photographer in focus Colin Beard has enjoyed an extraordinary life behind the lens.
WORDS KYLIE JACKES
When he arrived in Australia as a Ten Pound Pom in 1961, Colin Beard had never picked up a camera, let alone considered a career as a photographer. An engineer by trade, he arrived in Melbourne simply looking for a change of scenery. But after peering through the lens of a Pentax Spotmatic and taking a few snapshots of friends, Colin’s focus shifted to photography and he quickly immersed himself in the ‘60s pop scene, shooting the likes of The Rolling Stones, Sonny and Cher, and Janis Joplin.
Sitting in his office at Yandina’s Sunshine Coast School of Photography, the 71-year-old reflects on those heydays with great nostalgia. “I was 26 when I first picked up a camera, so I was a relative latecomer to photography, but I think when you have a latent passion within you your spark has to be ignited and it has to come at the right time. For me it was then,” he says. A self-professed “visual person”, with an insatiable curiosity about people, body language, shape and form, beautiful imagery captured Colin’s attention at a young age. “I used to go into the newsagents and flip through the fashion magazines and hope no one thought I was gay,” he says with a chuckle. “I was fascinated by the way the shots were composed. Some of the first photos that really inspired me were taken by (French photographer) Jeanloup Sieff. He blew me away.”
Colin’s fledgling photography career took off in 1966 when he became friends with Melbourne university students Tony Schauble and Phillip Frazer. They pooled their talents and meagre resources to found Go-Set, Australia’s first pop music magazine. With a limited budget, Colin preferred to spend money on film stock rather than pay himself. “I didn’t want to get paid, I just wanted to take photos. To pay the rent I sold pin-up photos on the side,” he says. Acclaimed for his fresh, original approach to photography, Colin explains his creativity was borne out of necessity. “We didn’t have a budget to do anything fancy, but I had to fill 32 pages each week so I had to think of different locations to take bands for shoots,” he says.
“I would go down back lanes in St Kilda and take them to the graveyard in Elwood and work with the different angles there. You really had to think on your feet. You couldn’t take many shots either because film was expensive and the more shots you took the more work it was to develop.” Often working on the fly, one of Colin’s most memorable shoots was during The Rolling Stones’ first tour of Australia. “They were performing in Sydney and no one could get near them,” he recalls. “I made myself a press pass and flashed it quickly in front of security but they didn’t let me through to see them. We knew where they were staying, though, so I went back to their hotel with a journalist and a guy walked in saying ‘parcel for Mr Jagger.’
We both jumped up and Doug (Panther), the journalist, grabbed the parcel and we went up to their room. They were about to leave for Brisbane and were packing their bags. Mick said I could take photographs but I only had 10 minutes. So I went into each room and took two shots of each of them. I had no idea if it was going to work. Later though when they were published and Mick Jagger saw the photos he said they were the best photos ever taken of them.” Entirely self taught, Colin learnt to develop film and make black and white prints after reading several articles in the Australasian Post. During the early stages of his career he even converted his bathroom into a makeshift dark room.
After two years with Go-Set, Colin accepted an offer from British Airways to travel to America and the UK where he toured with bands such as The Troggs, Spencer Davis Group, The Hollies, The Small Faces and The Who. It was a dream job for a rock and roll devotee but Colin admits he was never a big pop fan, instead preferring jazz and blues. “I got to know the bands well and meeting all those people was fascinating but I was never overwhelmed or starstruck, and I think that helped me get better shots,” he says. Shifting from rock and roll to fashion in the ‘70s, Colin spent 10 years shooting for Vogue and Cleo and shot every cover for Dolly in its first year.
Working predominantly with slide film, Colin points out these early covers were not retouched. “Once I took the shot there was no manipulation with it on computers,” he says. These days, despite the ability to radically modify digital photographs with editing software, Colin prefers to leave photos largely untouched and loves the simplicity of black and white. “I love it for two reasons,” he explains. “I think people respond to black and white better because it removes the image a little bit from reality and the darker tones also give it a bit more glamour.”
With a passion for photojournalism, explaining that “photography is not just about producing pretty pictures”, Colin has travelled extensively throughout the country working for Australian Geographic magazine. He has also collaborated with good friend, writer James Cowan, on a series of large scale books including Sacred Places, The River People and The Mountain Men, which documented the people and places along the Snowy River in New South Wales. Colin, who spent more than two decades lecturing at the Sydney College of the Arts and the University of Technology Sydney, moved to the Sunshine Coast seven years ago.
While he finds it too hot in summer, the area and ever-changing natural light are a joy to explore. “Driving around, I always find inspiration and I’m addicted to light. I love the way it influences and changes things,” he says. With a belief that everyone can produce wonderful photos, Colin’s enthusiasm for photography is palpable. “I have a real passion for passing on what I know and I feel this is what I am meant to be doing. A lot of students have creative energy, which just needs to be kindled, and my job is lighting that spark. A camera is only a tool; it’s what you do with it that’s important,” he says.
Colin Beard is the photographer in focus at the annual Immanuel Arts Festival running from May 20-23 at the Buderim campus in Wises Rd. Alongside artist in focus Jacqui Seckold, he will offer critiques and advice to aspiring artists and photographers. Artists in residence, potter Cathy Lawley and painter Carolyn Sheather, will also run workshops.
The festival features an exhibition and sale of more than 1000 paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, photography and creative arts. It is open on May 21-22 from 9am-5pm and May 23 from 10am-2pm. Entry is $5. Details: Phone 5477 3457 or visit www.immanuel.qld.edu.au/events/arts-festival
Story: Kylie Jackes, Issue 627, May 20th, 2010.
