| Brian Aris | |
| Background information | |
|---|---|
| Born | UK |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Years active | 1970s-present |
| Associated acts | Bob Geldof Sting Blondie Duran Duran |
| Photographer | |
Brian Aris is a photographer, whose work has included photographing Duran Duran.
Biography[]
Brian began his career in photography covering the civil unrest in Northern Ireland. His photographs of the riots in Belfast were printed around the World and by Life magazine in the USA. In contrast a short time later one of his photographs of Princess Anne visiting the African country of Sudan was published on the cover of British Vogue. Wars in Vietnam and the middle east were followed by his first visit to photograph the devastating famine in Ethiopia. A country he was to revisit in later years to track the work of The Band Aid Trust.
After 10 years of reportage photography he opened his first studio in London and began to photograph models and friends in the music business. So began a period in which he comprehensively covered the explosion in British music throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Those sessions included David Bowie, The Police, Sting, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Blondie, Boy George, Madonna, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Van Morrison, Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates.
He was the official photographer commissioned by Bob Geldof to take the now famous Band Aid group pictures and continued in the following years by having back stage studios at Live Aid, Net Aid and most recently Live 8. Album credits include George Michael, Sting, Dire Straits, Michael McDonald, Human League, Linda Ronstadt, Boomtown Rats, Mike Oldfield, Kenny Rogers, Rick Springfield, Eurythmics, Pet Shop Boys, Moody Blues, Cliff Richard, Tina Turner, Elton John, The Who and Blondie. Brian's photograph of Duran Duran featured on the front of the 1983 USA re-issue of the band's debut album Duran Duran.
His studio work has expanded to cover photography on actors, authors, musicians and politicians. He was asked to take offical photographs of Her Majesty The Queen to mark her 70th Birthday and later the official portraits of the golden wedding anniversary with Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. He has also photographed other members of the Royal family including Princess Margaret, The Duchess of York, The Duchess of Kent, Viscount Linley, Peter Phillips and most recently The Duke of York.
On the editorial side he has taken the official wedding pictures of Sir Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, Sting and Trudy Styler, David Bowie and Iman in a Florence catherdral. David and Victoria Beckham at a castle in Ireland. Joan Collins and Percy Gibson, Liza Minelli and David Guest in New York and in 2008 Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly at St George’s chapel in Windsor with all members of the Royal Family in attendance.
In 2009 he accepted an invitation from two Michelin starred chef Michael Caines of the Abode Hotel Group to hang a selection of his photographs at the Abode hotel in Manchester. In 2010 a collection of Brian's colour images went on show at the new flagship hotel recently opened in Chester.
A selection of Brian's work[]
The Human League
Sting
Debbie Harry
C. C. Catch
George Michael
Loraine Kelly