Rankin’s Documentary Series on Some of Music’s Most Influential Photographers
British photographer and director Rankin has curated three exciting, new short documentary films for WeTransfer Studios. Entitled The Backstage Sessions, they are a celebration of music photography as seen through the lenses of three of the most important photographers of our time: Gered Mankowitz, Kevin Cummins and David Montgomery.
The Backstage Sessions is a series of short documentary films (alongside a gallery of amazing images) that explore the works of each different photographer, including some of the most famous artists they have each shot. They also share never-before-told anecdotes and give rare insights into some of their classic album covers. The series is part of an ongoing partnership with WeTransfer Studios and the creative director Gilles Peterson.
The online exhibition also features some of their most iconic works including David Bowie, Joy Division, Morrissey, Kate Bush, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Bjork, The Rolling Stones, Blondie and more.
Some key features of the videos are:
Kevin Cummins on shooting his hero David Bowie, seizing the moment with Morrissey and trying to capture Joy Division’s dynamic.
David Montgomery on creating a wall of flame behind Jimi Hendrix, covering Roger Daltrey in baked beans and getting a sulky Mick Jagger on board.
Gered Mankowitz on shooting Marianne Faithfull in the pub, creating trippy images of the Stones with a homemade filter and a moment of magic capturing Kate Bush.
