Ian Davies began his photographic career in Manchester by documenting the local bands and touring with the Happy Mondays. His love for music and distinctive style led to his work fronting the covers of the cult American magazine RayGun, working alongside the innovative graphic designers David Carson, Vaughan Oliver and Chris Ashworth, and then MTV’s Blah Blah Blah. He built up an impressive portfolio with the most iconic names in music and fashion of our times: David Bowie, Michael Stipe, Joe Strummer, Debbie Harry, Beck, Charlie Watts, Bjork, Oasis, Aerosmith, Jean Paul Gaultier and Sir Paul Smith.
His most memorable and awarded art work record sleeves for James’s Whiplash and Maximo Park’s debut album A Certain Trigger has helped to establish these artists to a global audience.
His detailed, powerful, raw and energetic imagery also caught the eye of the Levi’s brand, with whom he went on to shoot numerous national and global campaigns including the famous Red Book; now a must-have visual reference for any creative.
Since then he has created fashion and advertising campaigns for J.Lindeberg, K-Swiss, Sony, Marlboro, Carling, Eurostar, Hysteric Glamour, Paul Smith, Umbro, Debenhams, MTV – which he won the prestigious Promax/BDA World Award for best Photography for the youth docu-drama Living On The Edge – and La Sécurité Routière.
Ian is also co-founder of Uppror magazine and regularly shoots and collaborates with a new generation of artists within the music, fashion, art and film industry.
Book contributions: Fashion Faces Up by Steidl, SOON: Brands of Tomorrow and Out of Control by Ray Gun.
Editorial credits include: Vanity Fair, Arena, Sunday Times, GQ, Details, Q, Nylon, i-D, The Face, Spin and Vibe.
