Four decades on

John Swannell's latest book celebrates his 40 years in the business, and showcases the breadth of his immense talent, says Damien Demolder

- Damien Demolder

'A few years ago, I noticed I wasn't getting much fashion work,' John Swannell tells me. 'WellI wasn't getting as much as I had the year before, and I was thinking, "Oh, God, I'm finished." I mentioned it to my wife and she said, "John, you're in your seventies! Fashion is a young person's business." Come to think of it, you're photographing an 18-year-old model, the stylist is about 24, the hairdresser is 25, the make-up artist is 29, and there I am in my seventies. I said “Shit, yes, you’re right!” You forget. I thought I was still as young as I was once, and I’m still taking fashion pictures the way I’ve always done – and they are still good. But these young fashion editors want to work with young photographers. My wife is always straight with me – it keeps me grounded. I am still shooting fashion, and actually did a shoot last week, but we don’t always notice that we’re getting older.’

If John Swannell had a normal job he would have been retired long ago, but it seems he has no intention of slowing down, or of retiring. ‘I’ll stop when the phone stops ringing,’ he says, slightly unconvincingly for a man who likes photography too much and who has a habit of turning personal projects into books. ‘That’s a horrible word – retirement. So long as I can still pick up a camera and my eyesight is okay, I’ll continue to take pictures. It’s too enjoyable. I still do a lot of projects and I do a bit for the royal family, I still get some fashion and I’m also doing some books – and I’ve had three exhibitions in the last four years.’