For more than forty years, James Hamilton has taken pictures of musicians for magazines and papers with great love and dedication. It consumes his life, and his knowledge of music is encyclopedic. Looking at James’s pictures, I am amazed how he nails the shot again and again. He is intuitive, reacts spontaneously, and focusses on the essential. It is a talent few possess, and the results are incisive pictures that stand the test of time.
Oddly enough, Hamilton’s way of working reminds me of that of Helmut Newton. At the heart of their photography is journalistic curiosity. They take few pictures for each assignment and know instinctually when they get the right one. For both, recognition for their work came late.
James started taking pictures in the sixties, and the last picture for his astonishing book “You Should Have Heard Just What I Seen” was taken in 2006. The worlds of photography, music, and New York City have changed drastically since he began, and the book captures perfectly how vibrant that era was and keeps it alive for us now. I know because I was there.
To experience James’s iconic music pictures live, head for KS Art, through December 23rd. It is well worth a visit, but the true gem is the book, which was edited by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.
See the whole slide show, with photos of B.B. King, Patti Smith, Madonna, and more.
Dream job. If I can’t be a rock star, I’ll just take epic pictures of them.
