Biographies

John Garrett

John was born in Australia and spent his early years as a photographer working in Melbourne, where initially it was necessary to be an all-rounder to make a living. By the time he moved to London in the 1960s he had already begun to specialize in fashion photography, and in the Swinging Sixties both fashion and advertising offered plenty of opportunities for a young photographer.

However, photojournalism had always been John’s first love. Influenced by the great photo stories of Life magazine and Paris Match, he changed direction and became contracted to Paris Match during the 1970s, shooting everything from wars to ballet. He began contributing regularly to newspapers and magazines such as the Sunday Times, the Observer, Stern and Time and wrote a number of books on photography, including The 35mm Photographer’s Handbook, co-written with Julian Calder, which sold 2,000,000 copies.

John’s other activities include directing 30 television commercials and chairing the judges for a worldwide photography competition sponsored by Ballantine’s Whisky, in which capacity he gave workshops and lectures around the globe. His website can be seen at www.john-garrett.com.

Graeme Harris

Born in Australia, Graeme gained his early photography experience at Helmut Newton’s studio in Melbourne, where his friendship with John Garrett began. He moved to London in 1971 and began work as a people and still-life photographer, mainly for the advertising and publishing industries, before going on to specialize in corporate annual report work.

Graeme has held a number of workshops for degree and A-level students, teaching camera skills and printing. He is also a tutor at two London colleges and a private photography school, where his students range from beginners to those doing advanced foundation and diploma courses. His courses include Creative Photography, Black and White Darkroom Printing, Digital Imagery and Learning to Use Your Camera, and it was teaching the latter that gave rise to the idea of writing this book.

As well as his commercial assignments and teaching, Graeme pursues personal work which includes his children, landscapes, found objects and a series of natural subjects, particularly leaves, flowers and shells. The latter have been used extensively on posters and cards, available in Ikea and other retail outlets. His website is www.graemeharris.com.