Photographers have taken fans behind the lens of some of David Bowie's most stunning pictures as part of an ongoing exhibition, exploring his incredible career and the more intimate glimpses that millions of us were not privy to during his life.
Behind the Lens: Exclusive Insights
On Tuesday night, the Lightroom played host to Denis O'Regan, Kevin Cummins, Chris Duffy, Tony McGee, Geoff MacCormack, and Richard Young as they spoke candidly about being given almost unfettered access to his private world during his rise to global superstardom.
A special exhibition titled David Bowie: You're Not Alone is currently on show at the London venue, while Bowie Nights was part of a wider celebration of his decades-long career in the spotlight, curated by those who got a front-row seat to the magic.
Geoff MacCormack: A Childhood Friendship
Geoff MacCormack was one of the lucky ones who got to see the other side of David, and let the audience into the close friendship they had enjoyed since childhood. Detailing their bond, he recalled spending days on end in a tiny train cabin with the musician as they travelled across the world, and spending their evenings on board getting drunk with soldiers.
Despite having the world at his disposal, Geoff revealed that David hated flying and would do anything to avoid it, instead choosing to sail or take a train where possible.
Unpacking a photo he captured during some downtime while filming the 1976 film The Man Who Fell To Earth, he delved into their time together and what many had misconstrued about the musician at the time.
"We were in New Mexico, the weather was great. David was doing his job beautifully... We were living very healthy - we lived on a ranch and it was just a really happy time," he recalled. "When David Bowie shot that film, [it was said] he wasn't in good condition - that was completely untrue. He was in great condition - we lived well, we slept well, we ate well. We didn't do other stuff... He was very good about that, he was very professional."
The Aladdin Sane Cover: The Mona Lisa of Pop
It is hard to discuss the impact of Bowie's photos without touching on the brilliance of Brian Duffy's shot for the cover of his Aladdin Sane album in 1973. The picture has been splashed around the world countless times, showing the musician posing bare-chested in front of the camera, with a bright red lightning bolt scrawled across his face, his eyes closed and his expression somewhat serene.
For decades following the release, this was the only photo released from the shoot - but this changed a few years ago, when the 'eyes open' version was approved for the cover of Kevin Cann's Any Day Now book.
Shedding light on his dad's work, Chris Duffy - who describes the stunning shot as the Mona Lisa of Pop - recalled: "That was 43 years since the original picture and no one had seen it. A lot of people now think that's the original picture, because it's been so ubiquitous. "It is an extraordinary image... it just has an extraordinary connection. At that time, that was pretty outrageous to have an album cover with an artist with his eyes closed."
Denis O'Regan: Capturing the Crowd
There is no denying that David came alive on stage, thanks largely to his Ziggy Stardust alter-ego - and there were few he trusted to capture both sides of his persona more than Denis O'Regan, who was blessed with the opportunity to join him on tour.
It was Denis who was behind the camera for his infamous stint at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, where he played three dates in July 1983 for more than 150,000 fans.
An experienced music photographer, he went above and beyond to get the perfect shot - climbing scaffolding to show just how enamoured the crowd was - thousands could be seen watching on in awe as David belted out some of his biggest tracks.
"It was the very beginning of Let's Dance," he said of the once-in-a-lifetime shot of David performing. "He's putting his arms up, they're putting their arms up, and then someone is chucking a bog roll. [People] asked, why didn't you edit it out? Because it was real!"
The exhibition runs until October, offering a unique glimpse into the life and career of one of music's most iconic figures.
