I SHOT IGGY POP

WHEN: April 2001

WHERE: Virgin Records / New York City

CAST OF CHARACTERS

• Iggy Pop: Rock Legend / The Godfather of Punk

• Scott Frampton: Editor-in-Chief / My boss at CMJ New Music Monthly magazine

• Me: Photo Editor / Photographer of said music magazine

THE SCENE

Iggy Pop’s upcoming release “Beat ‘Em Up” is scheduled to hit the stores in a couple of months, and his PR machine is in overdrive. Scott and I are sucked into the machine and quickly escorted into a sterile nondescript office. WTF. The only thing that keeps the space from feeling completely cold and oppressively empty is the flower arrangement on the desk, or maybe it’s the flowers that make everything else so bleak. Why would a major record company have such a bland, depressing space like this? 

Before the interview starts, Scott steps out for a brief moment to discuss something with the publicist, leaving me alone in the room with HIM, Iggy Pop! We engage in a little conversation, but since I know this is the only time that I would have alone with him I ask if I could get a few snaps. He jumps at the request. No more small talk. I get a couple of decent close-ups of him before Scott returns to start the interview. 

Our time with him is tight, and I don’t have many options. There is zero-time allotted for even the most basic lighting set-up. Flash isn’t an option either since I can’t be a distraction during the interview. The natural light in the office will have to suffice. The execution will be far from a studio session approach where things are controlled—success during this shoot will be more in tune with a street photography mindset.

In essence, I can only make a good photograph when Iggy reveals himself during the interview. When you learn to shoot street photography, you train your vision to constantly be anticipating the decisive moment. The space, the flowers, and Iggy are all equal parts of the moment. It is the scene.

Thank you for reading. Thoughts? Comments?