The Busy Lives of the Fashion Industry
by
Grazia Ielo

A Tribute to Fashion Photographer Richard Bailey

Richard Bailey's Eye

Published 7/12/2010

The versatile iconic Australian photographer, Richard Bailey, passed away on  June 15, 2010 at the age of 52.  He was an extraordinarily talented photographer with an accurate eye for detail, a strong sense of aesthetics, a lighting concept of his own, and a creative mind, like only a few other gifted personalities within the field.

Richard was born in Sydney on October 11, 1957.  He was a real member of the conventional professional photographers; he shot with films and Polaroid's rather than contemporary's Photoshop photography, retouching and post-production.  Most of Richard's career was set on the spot, defining his expertise with lighting, camera, speed, film, exposure, and so on.

When he met Vogue Australia's editor Kirstie Clement, he launched his vocation with the same fashion magazine; he was only 21 years old and stayed on board of Vogue Australia for the rest of his professional life.  His work involved shoots for editorial, advertising, beauty, fashion magazine covers, celebrities' photo shoots, commercials, and directing short movie ads.  He possessed an astonishing portfolio of work, pushing the Australian flag forward and promoting emerging faces and talents.  The mutual relationship with Vogue Australia awarded Richard an open ticket to travel the world; altogether, a legendary and internationally renowned fashion photographer.

He moved to New York in 1985, where he spent ten years of his life; the cosmopolitan and fashionable capital gave Richard some of his career's best shoots.  Meanwhile, Bailey shot emblematic and notorious covers starring top celebrities, actresses, and models, such as Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Janet Jackson, Melissa George, Miranda Kerr, Emma Booth, Jodie Gordon, Catherine Martin, and many more.  His work was showcased in some of the world's best fashion magazines: American Marie Claire, Allure, Elle, CQ, Mode; Australia Vogue; UK Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Glamour and Grazia.  At the same time, Richard was shooting global advertising campaigns for American lingerie brand Victoria Secret's and its beautiful women testimonials.  Publicity work includes a variety of worldwide recognized brands; for instance: Gap, Covergirl, L'Oreal, Pantene, Mercedes Benz, Anne Klein, Neiman Marcus, Macys, Nautica, Bloomingdales, Bonds, Corona, Sunsilk, Sheridan, Country Road fragrance, plus a mixture of charity and awareness campaign.  He also directed a few commercials: Kmart, Corona, Just Jeans, and Haagen Dans Chocolate are some of them.

He was continuously developing and experiencing his work through fashion, beauty, cars, stars, food, and beverage.  A complete and assorted collection of fine art, personalized by Richard Bailey's eye.

Throughout the last decade, the photographer won ten industry awards: Capture magazine's Australia's top photographer (2010) and the Australian fashion and beauty media photographer of the (2005 - 2007).  Due to his special and extraordinary personality, he wouldn't attend award events and sent agent Jo Sinclair to receive them on his behalf.  Richard Bailey had troubles with the spotlight, he was reserved and determined to promote Australian lifestyle in the world: a peaceful and cool style with a chic touch and stylish attitude.

That was his life as a photographer, as well as, husband of Gillian Bailey and father of two; Jasper, 13, and Billie, 10.  Besides that, he was a keen surfer and regular presence at the Whale Beach, Sydney; also, the stylized shoots and lighting techniques are crucial of defining his frame of mind.  However, signifying signature of Richard Bailey's work are the colors melting with brightness and glow, a strong feelings revival that comes out just flicking through his pieces, distinguished by his unique mode of seeing things out of the ordinary view.

Richard Bailey sole blueprint was his very own artistic innovation, of which worldwide audiences had the exclusive pleasure to see and feel, just scanning through the pages of a fashion magazine.