As CARBON 2014 approaches, we’ll be sharing our interviews with the speakers appearing at the creative culture festival. March 29 and 30 will see a whole host of mavericks and trailblazers converge on Melbourne to share insights from the worlds of art, photography, design, style, music and more. The next cab off the rank in our interview series is Janette Beckman, the photographer at ground zero when the punk and hip-hop movements exploded.
CARBON festival 2014 is on March 29 and 30 at RMIT’s Storey Hall in Melbourne. You can get tickets from the ACCLAIM online store.
Starting her career in her hometown of London, before moving to New York in 1982, photographer Janette Beckman had the privilege of witnessing and documenting two significant movements in pop culture: punk and hip-hop. By capturing early pioneers of each scene, Beckman became an authority on the subcultures – shooting countless ‘street style’ images, but also album covers for the likes of The Police, Salt-n-Pepa, and Zulu Nation, to name a few. With four publications and multiple exhibitions and commissions under her belt, Beckman continues to capture current-day New York for her personal portfolio and UK title Jocks & Nerds.
What drew you to focus so strongly on the music industry throughout your
work?
I always loved music and the rebellious innovative art, style and culture that surrounded it.
What do you think creates a good photo?
Art is subjective. In my opinion, a good photo captures a moment in time. I am not a fan of doctoring images in post-production, a photo should tell a true story.
What has been your career highlight so far?
Documenting two renaissance movements that changed the world: punk and hip-hop.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
The biggest lesson I have learned is to keep your eyes open, look at your surroundings, talk to people. Don’t be afraid.
What are the biggest industry changes you’ve seen during your career?
The advent of digital photography – it was like the industrial revolution for photographers – and the internet. It enabled us to immediately share work with people around the world.
What mantra do you live and work by?
Fear not – live for the day.