161 Quotes by David Bailey

I always go for simplicity.

It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary.

Sometimes I still can't believe my luck.

It's not about composition. It's the way you feel about how your objects should relate to each other. I've got lots of African statues and things, and the cleaner arranges them like soldiers, which drives me mad. So I have to rearrange them, and I must drive her mad, because I'm doing anarchy and she's doing military manoeuvres.

I don't think my work does reflect my nationality - I don't like the idea of nationalism.

I left school on my 15th birthday.

I don't see the point of photographing trees or rocks because they're there and anyone can photograph them if they're prepared to hang around and wait for the light.

I don't feel very optimistic in London.

Being trendy is dangerous. I've never been trendy, which is why I've never really fallen out of favour.