2024 RT Amination Banner.gif

China Daily

Focus> Life & Art> Content
Thursday, July 19, 2018, 18:18
Life behind the scenes
By Xu Haoyu
Thursday, July 19, 2018, 18:18 By Xu Haoyu

A scene from the Chinese talent show Produce 101, taken by award-winning photographer Russell James. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)

The night before the final of Chinese talent show Produce 101, Russell James walks into the venue in Hangzhou, in Zhejiang province, wearing black flip-flops.

Russell James says that the key to success is to never forget your initial determination

Clad in a white T-shirt with its lower hem peeking out from a thin blue sweater and similarly colored jeans, the man spends around half an hour surveying the scene and getting a feel for the environment.

Born in Australia, and currently based in New York, James has been the official backstage photographer of Victoria's Secret fashion show for the past 15 years.

While he has known many of the VS angels since they started modeling, he still has to get to know 10 or 20 new girls quickly every year, to try and bring out the best in them.

"I tend to approach people on a very personal level. I like to connect with people, and understand a little bit about what drives and what motivates them."

As for the scene backstage at Produce 101, he wants to show the emotion of the contestants through his photographs.

As James recalls, his love of photography started at 8 or 9 through his father, who had an old box camera.

READ MORE: Chinese stars dazzle 2018 Milan Fashion Week

He says that he would secretly sneak into his father's closet without his permission and look at everything upside down through the lens.

The curiosity and interest planted in childhood grew while he was traveling around Europe.

After visiting Italy and Paris, he moved to Stockholm in Sweden. And it was in the historic city that he began taking photos of landscapes as well as people from North Africa.

In 1996, he flew to New York after getting a call asking him to shoot for Sports Illustrated with African American supermodel Tyra Banks.

To date, James' works have been published in many well-known magazines including W, Vogue, Allure, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, American Photo, and French Photo.

Russell's photographic achievements range from working for brands such as Hermes in association with the Guggenheim, to breakthrough advertising campaigns for global brands such as Rolex, Evian and Revlon.

He has also photographed many big names, including former United States president Bill Clinton.

James has won many awards, including the Hasselblad Masters Award in 2007.

Speaking about his work, he says: "Some people say, 'you had overnight success'. And I say, where there is overnight success, there are thousands of nights that nobody saw."

It is not commonly known that James was told to leave school and try something else at the age of 14, because he didn't really fit in.

So, he got his first job making trashcans, and then training dogs. And he was also a police officer for several years.

Australian-born photographer Russell James. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)

James says he tried many different things before he found a way to make a living from photography, but he considers the process necessary.

"I think what is really important is for young people to realize that you don't need to know specifically what you want to do.

"You've got to keep following your instinct because what you eventually do is going to be a combination of all the things that you did earlier."

As for his philosophy of life, he says: "Don't be afraid to try something. If that's not the thing for you, you're going to take something from that into whatever it is you're doing."

He says that the key to success is to never forget your initial determination.

"I stayed persistent and passionate about what I wanted to do for many years before it started to pay off… And I've always felt that if you pursue your passion, the business and other things will come."

As a professional backstage photographer, James jokes that now he has a job that millions of men envy, because he gets the chance to see beautiful women shine off stage.

And with the experience of working with people from all over the world, he thinks beauty is beyond nationality or the color of your skin.

As for his idea of beauty, James, who describes himself as 'color blind', says: "If you ask me what the definition of beauty is in this day and age, I think what is wonderful is it's becoming broader, and is becoming more diverse."

He says that Chinese models including Liu Wen and Ming Xi amaze him with their "absolutely beautiful skin".

Meanwhile, since the start of 2017, James has been busy working in China, shooting campaigns, besides being a judge on the Road to the Runway show, and helping the Chinese program select a winner to join the Shanghai VS event.

ALSO READ: Stunning looks from Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai

Separately, James, who says that this trip to China is about his 10th visit to the country, adds that he plans to bring an exhibition of his photographs to China, including Shanghai and Beijing.

"It (the exhibition) is really about my many years behind the scenes at Victoria's Secret fashion shows.

"I want it to be not just an exhibition, but an experience where people can become immersed in that world and see it through my work.

"I can't take everybody backstage, but I want to give them the closest thing to it."

Contact the writer at xuhaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn

Share this story