David Hamilton (photographer)
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David Hamilton (born April 15, 1933) is a photographer from Britain.
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[edit] Early life and career
Hamilton grew up in London. His schooling was interrupted by World War II. As an evacuee, he spent some time in the lovely countryside of Dorset, which inspired his work till today. After the war, Hamilton returned to London and finished school before moving to France where he has lived ever since.
[edit] Photography
His artistic skills began to emerge during a job at an architect's office. At age 20, he went to Paris, where he worked as graphic designer for Peter Knapp of ELLE magazine. After becoming known and successful, he was hired away from ELLE by Queen magazine in London as art director. Hamilton soon realized his love for Paris, however, and after returning there became the art director of Printemps, the city's largest department store. Hamilton began photographing commercially while still employed, and the dreamy, grainy style of his images quickly brought him success.
His photographs were in great demand by other magazines such as Realites, Twen and Photo. By the end of the sixties, Hamilton's work had a recognizeable style. His further success included many dozens of photographic books with combined sales well into the millions, five feature films, countless magazine publishings and scores of museum and gallery exhibitions. In December, 1977, Images Gallery in New York City ran a show of his photographs, at about the same time that Bilitis was released. He also maintained an apartment in New York. His soft focus style also came back into fashion at Vogue, ELLE and other high-class fashion magazines from around 2003. Long ago, Hamilton lived with Mona Kristensen, who was a model in many of his early photobooks and made her screen debut in Bilitis. More recently, he was married to Gertrude but they have since divorced amicably and she lives in New York where she is carving out a successful career as a painter. Hamilton divides his time between St Tropez and Paris. He is currently (2006) enjoying a considerable revival in popualrity and has three new books ready for release in coming months.
[edit] Controversy
As much of Hamilton's work depicts early-teen girls, often nude, he has been the subject of some controversy and even child pornography allegations, mostly from North America and Britain, similar to that which the work of Sally Mann and Jock Sturges have attracted. In the late 1990s, some American Christian conservatives protested bookstores that stocked Hamilton's photography books but their efforts came to nothing. Because of differing attitudes regarding age and nudity, Hamilton has not received this negative attention in his adopted home of France, nor in the rest of the world.
In 2005 a member of the Surrey Police in Britain wrongly claimed that possessing Hamilton books was now illegal in the UK. Surrey Police were later forced to make a formal apology for the incorrect and unsubstantiated allegations made by Detective constable Simon Ledger (see: British Journal of Photography, September 2005), and admitted that no legally binding decision had been made on the work of David Hamilton.
The Guardian (UK), June 23, 2005, wrote: Hamilton's photographs have long been at the forefront of the "is it art or pornography?" debate. Glenn Holland, spokesman for the 73-year-old photographer, who lives in St Tropez, said: "We are deeply saddened and disappointed by this, as David is one of the most successful art photographers the world has ever known. His books have sold millions".
[edit] Selected Books and films
[edit] Books
- Dreams of a Young Girl (1971)
- Sisters (1972)
- La Danse (1972)
- Souvenirs (1974)
- The Best of David Hamilton (1976)
- David Hamilton's Private Collection (1976)
- Hamilton's Movie (1977)
- The Young Girl (1978)
- Tender Cousins (1981)
- Twenty-Five Years of an Artist (1993)
- The Age of Innocence (1995)
- A Place In The Sun (1996)
- Holiday Snapshots (1999)
- David Hamilton (November 2006)
- Erotic Tales (French only so far) (December 2006)
[edit] Films
- Bilitis (1977)
- Laura, les ombres de l'été (1979)
- Tendres cousines (1980)
- Premier désirs (1983)
- A Summer in St. Tropez (Un été à Saint-Tropez) (1984)
