What can I say, you put a few old photo’s up with your profile and the first question that comes up is:“Where are the pictures of the celeb’s?”
Yes, I rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in music, acting and the world of finance but I was working (and not in a position to take happy snap’s with my clients). Most assignments are under a confidentiality contract (you’d be surprised how many of the famous brigade like their privacy when it comes to things they shouldn’t be doing), some are so controlled by their managers / Agents that they wouldn’t even know they had security let alone pose for photo’s once you were off the clock and the others just didn’t like cameras…what can I say, I’m not a big lover of having my photo taken either. But those I have partaken in hold some good memories and start the telling of some interesting tales.
My two biggest regrets regarding private photo’s are the Great shed fire of ‘87, where every baby photo, family snap shot and boxing pic went up in flames when someone set fire to my folks garden shed when they just moved (ironically off of a very nasty council estate where they had no trouble…except for one major incident but that’s for another blog) into a middle class environment in Chingford. All those little knick-knacks that everyone has (that had yet been unpacked) were stored in there and 19 years of memories went up in a cloud of smoke.
The other regret was not emptying my attic out when I walked away from my 6 year relationship with my ex-fiancé. There was some fantastic photo’s etc stored up there but when I walked away from the woman I no longer loved I only took the clothes on my back and my border collie…everything else stayed and I would assume went the same way as those artefacts in the Great shed fire of ’87.
After all that, having my photo taken or even being in the background was a no-no, for personal and business reasons…being easily recognised does not make a good impression when trying to keep a low profile whilst looking after someone who also would like to keep a low profile.
Unlike certain celeb’s who need to stand out, a prime example would be the detail the security company I used to work for got assigned with a certain ‘Material Girl’ who insisted on having the biggest looking bodyguards with her whenever she stepped out the door. This approach of course led to the much publicised fracas that was known as the Hyde Park incident. Those who remember this will be able to tell those who don’t…all I can say on it is that it involved the singer, jogging and inflated ego’s. And who was it that got to spend 16 hours a day for 3 weeks looking after her ‘Lucky’ knickers…you guessed it. Who the hell believes that they are that important that they need their underwear guarded? Still a job’s a job.
A great man once told me (and this was repeated to me 2 years later by another great man) “It’s nice to be important but it’s important to be nice.”
As this particular blog is about photo’s…it leads quite nicely into the subject of cameras. We used to work with a bubbly, northern lass by the name of Cheryl, who used to shrill on the door of the Shepherds Bush Empire… ”No Cameras!!!” Sounding like something from the TV show, ‘Open all hours’.
This requirement however, left the front door with a nice box of confiscated cameras…now being the mature, professionals we were, at no time did we take inappropriate photos of our genitalia or other areas of the human anatomy that could embarrass ya in front of your grandparents. No, I can honestly say that no inappropriate photos were taken…they were all appropriate right down to the last one that looked like a long nosed fella that sported a beard and curly eyebrows (you work it out). The camera’s were then returned to their unsuspecting owners until processing was needed (this was before digital camera’s)…all except one. There was one time we didn’t return a certain disposable camera, because the talented Mr. Perry (Big Ben – 6ft 8” and weighed over 22 stone) and myself, snagged a photo with the Cadbury’s Flake girl from the early 90’s, and didn’t want to give it up…so we kept the camera and used up all the film on taking pictures of the team.
So there you have it…the reason why no photo’s of me with my clientele will ever be available for public display…I know it’s a let down (or even a cop out) but that’s the facts, Jack.
Until the next one…stay frosty
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