Making of Media Legends
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 16:30:51 +1000
From: Jan O'Hare
Reply-To: Radio National Clickon!

Mez wrote:

>Due to the notorious photo, Mr Downer's iconographic image (like
>St Peter's keys) has become the fishnet stockings.
>
> A little while back, however, I heard someone mention in passing
> that it was one of a series taken by a photographer who got all
> these different people to dress up in fishnet stockings & high heels.
>
> Does anyone know anything about this? The photographer's name?
> Anyone else in the series? Even just a help for a reference to
> the original appearance in print?
>

This is all I can find, as it was for charity I suppose we are being a
bit unkind. The Adelaide Advertiser archives may have the rest.

Extract of a transcript of

Media Dimensions

Episode Three

Monday August 20 (2001)

Photo Journalists

GRANT NOWELL, PHOTOGRAPHER, ADELAIDE ADVERTISER: I was asked to get a
picture of a few Adelaide celebrities with fishnet stockings on to
promote. 'The Rocky Horror Show' as a bit of a charity event. Thought I'd
give Alexander Downer a call. He was all very rushed to get to the
airport and I photographed his leg, and then I said, "Mr Downer, would
you mind a full-length shot?" And I had about 30 seconds to go. And he
said, "Yeah, sure. Go for it," you know. "Make it snappy, I've gotta go
to the airport." Well, for the first 20 seconds, I was almost
dry-retching 'cause I'm sitting there thinking, "Well, this is the
Foreign Minister. The man who wanted to be prime minister a few years
before that. And he's gonna let me take his picture in fishnets and high
heels."
Clinton came out here to address both Houses of Parliament. Moments before
he walked into the Lower House, there were calls from the government MPs,
"Alex, Alex, show us your legs." BILL CLINTON: Thank you very much.

GRANT NOWELL: Bill Leake, he always draws Mr Downer with fishnets on and I think Bill won a Walkley for that as well. And these days, whilst I've photographed everything that moves for the last 25 years, these days I generally do food, wine and fashions. I did a bit of work in Pakistan and Europe, of course, like most photographers seem to do, and in North Africa. So really this work is so eclectic, it's quite bizarre. The funny thing about this is that it was a very basic job. I guess on a scale of 10, it would've rated probably 2 or 3, but ended up being the most significant photo I've ever taken. And it's certainly given me a lot of pleasure, there's no doubt about it.
[permalink][comment] - posted by Mez @ 7/03/2003 03:22:00 pm