Me: When did you first become interested in photography?
Harry: When I was at Tiverton High School a friend of mine had a SLR, we were about 14 years old. I was intrigued and he let me use it, eventually we started entering competitions.
Me: What was your first camera?
Minolta srT100X
Harry: My first camera was a Minolta SLR 100x that I bought in the Exeter London Camera Exchange it cost me between £60-£69. Then when things started getting more serious I bought a Rolleiflex camera, again from the Exeter London Camera Exchange for a discounted price of £200. My parents had a Nikkormat.
Me: What photographers have you been or are influenced by throughout you career?
Harry: Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Guy Bourdin.
|
|
|
|
|
Margaret Thatcher – Harry Borden 2007
Me: You said in a talk back in July 2013 that photographing Margaret Thatcher was incredible as she was a prominent figure when you were growing up and it was something you never thought would happen. You also photograph a lot of important and famous people, sometimes does it feel like it is a dream?
Harry: No because it was a gradual process to get where I am it, it doesn’t spin me out. It surprises me sometimes that occasionally a big thing is made out of nothing. For example, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister when I was at school here and I never thought I would get the chance to photograph her. In 2007, I got the opportunity to do it for Time magazine. I had no more than 12 minutes with her and she had bodyguards. I asked to have my picture taken with her and when I put my arm around her, all these bodyguards sprang up.
Me: Who is the most inspiring person you have met? Was there anyone who surprised you in their behaviour?
Jamie Oliver – Harry Borden
Harry: I don’t know, there have been a lot of people who I have met. I worked with Jamie Oliver for a long time, about a year, he was really nice, the first time we met him he gave me and my assistant a set of kitchen knives and some nice olive oil. Gordon Brown was shy around the camera and generous, he was nice. When he heard about one of my projects to do with the holocaust, he gave me a book to do with the subject that was really interesting and useful. Billy Bob-Thornton also.
Gordon Brown – Harry Borden 2008
Me: What do you think makes a good picture stand out from the average?
Harry: There are various assets to a good picture as long as they have the main attributes such as lighting, intimacy, composition etc… The relationship with the subject is very important to the making of a great image, when they coalesce you tend to get more of an atmosphere as they are more open to the camera. Composition also gets the perfect attention such as in Richard Avedon’s work or Irving Penn’s, their work presents a unique way of seeing.
Picasso
Irving Penn 1957
Marian Anderson
Richard Averdon 1955
Me: What motivates you to do what you are doing?
Harry: In a broader way, not wanting to waste my life. You only live once so you may aswell spend it doing something that brings you intrinsic pleasure. I like indulging myself by doing something I enjoy and get pleasure from.
Me: What is the job that you have done that has meant most to you as a person?
|
Lone Woman – Harry Borden |
Harry: It is getting increasingly difficult to photograph people such as Barack Obama or I would have loved to have photographed Nelson Mandela. Possibly Margaret Thatcher as she was someone so big in my childhood. One day, I was doing a shoot and in the reflection in the window of Pret A Mange I saw a lone woman drinking her coffee and I took the photo, it seemed sad and lonely, but the portrait was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in their portrait competition. Photographing my children means most to me though.
Me: Do you believe the expression “a picture is worth a 1000 words”, and why?
 Identical Twins – Diane Arbus 1967 |
Harry: Yes the iconic imagery. Great moments are captured as totemic imagery. Such as Diane Arbus with the twins. They define the times that we live in.