Last Updated on 03/22/2019 by Mark Beckenbach
Avid fans of the 1960s rock scene might want to support Ethan Russell in his campaign to publish his first and only fine art monograph, featuring his photos of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and many others.
Grammy nominated photographer Ethan Russell holds the distinction of being the only rock photographer who shot album covers for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. Decades later, he’s gearing up to put some of his best snaps of the 1960’s rock scene in a legacy project — his first and only fine art monograph.
Russell has turned to Kickstarter to fund this 244-paged, 14 x 10.25 inches fine art monograph simply titled Ethan Russell Photographs: A Monograph. It will come in two versions: a Regular Edition and a Deluxe Limited Edition. The campaign aims to produce only 500 copies, along with some cool rewards and incentives. The monograph will also have a preface by Russell and photographer Neal Preston, and an introduction by Shannon Perich, the Photographic Curator for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
“The pace and order of the book is an expression of what my life experience has been as seen through my photographs. It is a journey through ordinary and extraordinary moments that is specific to my life, but in truth, itâs one of exploration, surprise, love, and even some history, that many of us witnessed and know its uniqueness. These things I want to share with you and connect through them to find a bit of shared experience for those who were there and to open that up for those who were not able to be there.”
Russell’s fine art monograph is poised to be one of the most fascinating photographic documentations of the peak of the so-called British Invasion in rock and roll history. With astounding luck in 1967, he was first introduced to Mick Jagger, then John Lennon, then The Rolling Stones, and then The Beatles. Things took off from there. He took photos of what was before his camera, not changing a thing. This, he believes, is the value of his work, and what he hopes to present in his monograph.
“When I think today about how my work might bring value, I believe this is the most significant: I didnât change what was in front of the camera, and what was in front of the camera was monumental. I photographed what was true. I was in extraordinary places, and I shot photographs that let people just be there. The moment is not about the photographer, the moment is about what you share.”
You can grab the Regular Edition with a pledge of $95 and the Deluxe Limited Edition for $425, but if you pledge $225 or more, you’ll also get an additional publication. The separately bound (and shipped) 45-paged book titled The Inside Story will provide more information on the images in the book, and will most likely not be included in the commercial version of the monograph.
Check out the Kickstarter campaign to find out more about the project and the rewards, and make your pledge.
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Images from the Kickstarter campaign by Ethan Russell
