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Enjoying and capturing moments through the lens of a camera has been a passion of mine for years. Only recently have I considered it as a possible career, and along with this new discovery comes a new list of creative mentors. The most recent, and fascinating to me, is Linda McCartney.
A Beatle fan since inhabiting my mother’s womb, I respected Linda due to her reputation as the strong supportive wife of the great Paul McCartney. It was the book, ‘Linda McCartney: A Portrait’, which turned me on to her talent as a great photographer. Before she was the wife of the biggest rock star in the world, she was known for her ability to make people feel comfortable in front of a camera, and bring out the best in them.
Linda took her photographs without a tripod, and in natural light. I remind myself of this every time I get overwhelmed with the cost of photographic equipment, backdrops, lighting, etc. Natural, raw talent combined with a love for people made Linda a famous, well-sought-after photographer. I wish I could be a fly on the wall of a photo shoot with any loud, young rock band from the sixties. I would love to hear how she charmed them into letting their guard down, and sitting still long enough to enjoy them selves and let go in front of her lens.
I can honestly say I haven’t seen enough of Linda’s work to write about her photographic style as a whole, or name my favourite piece in her portfolio of celebrity faces. I am most inspired by how her passion and personality translated into her art. With Linda, it was never about impressing people with how much she knew, or the name brand of her gear. She had a passion for people, and they could feel that when they were in her presence.
Combining desire, resilience, and an ongoing need to better herself as a photographer, Linda was an artist in her own right. With or without the McCartney name.
It is a gift to see the beauty in people, and to help them recognize it. That is precisely the kind of photographer I aspire to be.
Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you also for supporting the idea that great photography can be and has been made with nothing more than a camera and natural light.
For those of you who want to see a little more of her work you can go here:
http://www.jameshymangallery.com/pages/exhibitions/thumbnails/710.html
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