I’m extremely saddened to find out Brian Harris passed away yesterday (October 4th). He had a battle with cancer, winning mostly for quite a while, but sadly it finally took hold and he passed away peacefully at home. My condolences to his partner Nikki, his family and all close to him.
A good 15 years before we first met, Brian had become a huge inspiration to me, through his work as chief photographer at The Independent, back when it was a broadsheet. Every edition, was a lesson of excellence in newspaper photography, writing and design.
Brian was due to give a talk organised by the BPPA, this coming week on October 8th – Assignments LIVE: An evening with Photographer Brian Harris.
I had written a short dedication to be read out at the event, but sadly, without Brian hearing it, I shall share it here:
“During the 90s, I was working on the Harrow Observer, having started my career in 1989. Although I visited many exhibitions by world renowned photographers and bought, when funds allowed, great photographic books, quickly, The Independent newspaper became my source of education and inspiration; my source for enveloping myself in great photography. As I became acquainted with the names of the exceptional photographers, one constantly stood out for me. Brian Harris. My daily ritual in my local paper’s newsroom was to track down a copy of the paper and immerse myself in the great work. Without knowing it and probably a good 15 years before we ever met, Brian Harris was a mentor. My teacher in great light, great composition, intelligent storytelling and working unconstrained by what the other photographers were doing, or what would be a safe shot. Thanks Brian.”
Brian was truly incredible. In later years he told me he would sometimes work with a 20mm and a 300mm. Just those two lenses! Always pushing creativity. Always looking at things differently. The most important thing which he did in my opinion, before accepting the position of chief photographer at The Independent, was making sure that it was acknowledged that photographers and writers had equal footing at the paper. On lesser papers, this is not the case, to the detriment of that publication. I was in awe when I heard of this.
Nick Turpin, one of the photographers at The Independent during that time writes:
“Extremely sad news, a great and fearless photographer, he astonished me with the things he would try and succeed at. He shot a vote in the House of Commons at night clean across the river Thames, he shot France from Kent getting both cliffs in the same shot. When I was 20 and working with him at The Independent, I had never seen shots like that. He also stood up for all our rights at the paper.
He inspired a whole generation of young photographers at that time in the 90’s and very much beyond.
On my first day at The Independent in August 1990, I arrived on the open plan newsroom floor and Brian was there, he came up to me, leant quite close to my face, plucked the lens caps from my two cameras and hurled them across the room, gleefully shouting ‘won’t be needing those!’.
I knew it was going to be a fun relationship with him from then on.
He was one of a kind.
Brian was already a very experienced ‘Fleet Street’ Photographer when he joined the newly formed Independent Newspaper. He quickly seized the freedom that was given to The Independent’s photographers and created his own brand of dark brooding, hand printed news imagery. From hard news stories to poetic grabbed moments during a busy day, Brian delivered both to the City Road Picture Desk.
Brian was passionate and driven, he lived the newspaper motto that you are only as good as your last picture, and was always focused on how to break boundaries and come back with something that exceeded expectations.
He was also generous with his time and advice for the younger photographers he worked with, many of whom have carved significant careers of their own. His professionalism and willingness to go the extra mile and not compromise, lives on in many of us.”
Photo This & That 