An Interview With Photographer Michel Haddi

Global celebrity photographer, Michel Haddi, is on my blog this week.  Michel has photographed many high profile celebrities including David Bowie, Johnny Depp, Keanu Reeves, Angelina Jolie, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez.  He has published a few photographic coffee table books … And his latest is “David Bowie The Legend”.  Seeing as David Bowie was my all time favourite performer,  I just couldn’t wait to ask Michel about his book, his photography, and what it is like meeting these iconic celebrities…. Welcome Michel…

What made you want to pursue a career as a photographer?

I always wanted to be an artist. My first love is movie making/films but I didn’t know anyone in the film industry, but I did in photography – I suppose it was a short cut!

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Your current “David Bowie The Legend” book of unseen David Bowie pictures has aroused a lot of interest – he was my favourite musician – what was the background to the book & the reason behind creating the book?

I have a publishing house too and I thought it was a good idea to do a book on David Bowie , like I will do one on Blondie or Liza Minelli. I decided to launch a new collection called The Legend.

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Your work has appeared in many famous magazines such as the British, French & Italian editions of Vogue America as well as I lived there for 14 years and many advertising campaigns for companies such as Saks New York, Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, etc. What has been the most unusual photoshoot request you’ve had ?

Maybe a shoot I did for American Esquire in the desert in Las Vegas having a trapeze artist from the Cirque du Soleil flying in the middle of nowhere.

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What has been your favourite photoshoot to date?

All of them. I don’t have a special one, always the last one. I worked with Emmanuelle Seigne,  the wife of Roman Polanski for a magazine called The Collective (it’s a magazine from the London designer Osman). I really loved that shoot as Emmanuelle is a great actor and a great looking girl.

You have photographed many high profile celebrities, including David Bowie, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie etc among others. If you were given the chance, who would you love to photograph that you haven’t already?

I did a shoot at Paisley Park – I was supposed to work with Prince and his band. I worked with the band but Prince didn’t show up. This is a regret.

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You’ve published a quite a few fashion & beauty books – have you got a preferred location for fashion shoots?

Not really, depends what I have in mind. The new one is called The Blue Hour – it was shot in Paris and it’s all about Paris.

I’ve seen & admired your fashion shots, model shots, and celebrity shots, so, what style of photography is your absolute favourite? When you are not working, do you do photography for fun?

Thank you! I only like it when images look like snips of a film. In fact when I tell a story now, if I don’t shoot I write screen plays.

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Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I have a tailor in London,  Anthony Sinclair,  so everything comes from my tailor.  I wear a Crombie with maybe a tight fit sweate,  pin stripe trousers, black gloves and black Adidas footwear.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

None  –  my only pleasure is to see my tailor and be pampered.

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What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Maybe another 3 piece suit – dark blue pinstripe – very 70s! Anthony Sinclair used to make the suits for Sean Connery in the James Bond films. I like this flavour, as being tall the style does suit me perfectly.

Boots or Shoes?

I used to wear boots like bikers boots but I am much more into the Adidas black label to cut the strict look of a suit nowadays.

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 Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc for more information about you and your book “David Bowie The Legend”.

http://davidbowiethelegend.co.uk/

www.michelhaddistudio.com

www.mhspublishing.com

Oh wow Michel, Blondie is also another favourite of mine – as a teenager in the 80s I tried to style myself on Debbie Harry’s look – just wish I had her voice to go with the ensemble! 🙂 Well, dear readers,  who in your eyes was or is a “Legend”?  Who was your style icon as a teen?  As always, do tell, I love reading your comments!

Linda x

All photos have been published with the kind permission of Michel Haddi. 

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