Join us for an in-conversation with Liverpool’s very own John Stoddart, speaking with Open Eye Gallery’s Director Sarah Fisher. They will discuss photographer's relationship to the Liverpool music scene, his specialism in portraits of key cultural figures and the development of his photographic style.
John Stoddart is recognised as one of the world’s most renowned photographers. Born and raised in Liverpool, he is known as “the photographer to the stars”. After a stint in the Grenadier Guards (where at the age of 16, while stationed in Hong Kong, he picked up his first professional camera), Stoddart began his photography career in 1980s Liverpool, capturing daily life in the city during a time of transition, and spending his nights shooting upcoming bands like Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
He quickly cemented the style that set him apart from his peers, going on to create some of the most iconic images of the music and cinema worlds. Stoddart is best known for having taken scores of photographs of famous faces including Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig, Joan Collins, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vivienne Westwood, and The Rolling Stones.
He has been lauded by Professional Photography Magazine as one of their "Top 100 Photography Heroes" and by Master Photography as “the man with stars in his sights". A raconteur in his field, Stoddart’s clients have included EMI, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, Vogue and Virgin. He has published 5 books of his works – It’s Nothing Personal (1997), Peep World (2004), Flags and Badges (2014), Liverpool, before the Exodus (2016), and Polaroid Alchemy (2024).
Images provided by John Stoddart
