No title, 1960-tallet

Bailey developed a love of natural history, which led him to photography. Schoolwork was not his forte, so when he finally decided to pursue a career in photography, he was unable to secure a spot at the London College of Printing. Instead, he became a second assistant to David Ollins at Charlotte Mews, working as a studio runner, before becoming a photographic assistant at the John French studio in 1960. He worked as a photographer for John Cole’s Studio Five before being hired as a fashion photographer for British Vogue later that year. Along with Terence Donovan and Brian Duffy, Bailey captured and helped shape the “Swinging London” of the 1960s: a culture of fashion and celebrity chic. The three photographers socialized with actors, musicians, and royalty, and found themselves elevated to celebrity status. Together, they were the first true celebrity photographers, dubbed “the Black Trinity” by Norman Parkinson. Bailey’s rise at Vogue was meteoric. Within months, he was shooting covers, and at the height of his productivity, he shot 800 pages of Vogue editorial content in a single year. Since 1966, Bailey has also directed several television commercials and documentaries.