Johnny Rosza is the romantic New York based photographer who has transcended the generations with his illustrious talent for capturing an individuals essence and presenting them as vulnerable and unadulterated than ever seen before. Born and raised in Narobi, Rosza' exotic upbringing allowed him a more detached understanding of the celebrity culture and high fashion that became so prominent in the 60's with the rise and rise of Hollywood Glamour. And so begins our love story...
Moving to London young, fresh and hungry for the edgy, street inspired cultures of that time he launched himself onto the scene, running a kitsch little vintage shop in Covent garden full of furs and eccentricity. With his unquenchable thirst for human understanding and inquisitive eye for detail he became more and more familiar with notorious personalities of the time and soon became very much part of the 'it' crowds which were circulating and setting the precedent for trends and styles all around him. He soon found himself incidentally taking pictures of where he was living ad what he was doing, absolutely immersed in the fast moving, hedonistic lives and lovers he fell for. Recognizing he was in the thick of a movement he quickly became scouted as the inside talent, commissioned by glossies and celebrities themselves to take pictures professionally of exactly what it was he was seeing and understanding from those he came to be affiliated with. His most acclaimed works to date include those of Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Janet Jackson and Nicholas Cage, John Malkovich to Natasha Richardson, a rare talent.
Today Johnny Rosza's continues to work as obsessively as ever before, dedicated to his craft and besotted by the process, he has adapted his styles to that of modern photography and embraces such change. Staying true to his roots, volunteering at a housing works in New York, Rosza continues to be inspired. This Fall an anthology of his work is released called Untouched, chronicling his photography over the years as well as numerous exhibitions that have seen him appear in our finest art galleries, the world over.
Milly McMahon: What is it about people that interests you so much?
Johnny Rosza: Actually I hate people~ There are too many of us. I wish there were less of us and more room for animals and fish and wildlife to continue their lives undisturbed! But then I love people too! Especially bright witty people. I love pretty people too, especially to photograph. I will never forget meeting Kate Moss one weekend in Woodstock, New York. The sun was setting and she was riding on the back of a motorbike and I was mesmerized by the light hitting the planes of her facial bone structure. That is interesting to me.
MM: Do you see think you see the world very differently to other people?
JR: I don't know how other people see the world, but I am very opinionated about the things I see. Sometimes people think I am being arrogant or rude, but after all these years as a visualist I see thing as really quickly and can make decisions very fast about what clothes fit, or how hair should be or whether to focus more on eyes or lips or whatever.
MM: What first made you pick up a camera and start taking pictures?
JR: I used to paint, but got bored filling in backgrounds and so l moved on. I knew lots of models and photographers and have a keen visual eye so picking up a camera was very natural, and I enjoyed the instant results of a photograph.
JR: Tell me about your background in photography?
JR: I never went to Art school to learn photography, but while at Manchester University I met Joe Gaffney and he inspired me a lot. He went on to the Royal College of Art and then worked quite a bit for French Vogue. He taught me about creating a 3 dimensional image on a flat piece of paper! The rest I blundered on by myself, making mistakes and learning from them. I learned many photographic tricks in the darkroom too.
MM: You've said before it's the 'getting ready' phase of photography you enjoy the most. As a more matured photographer what themes and ideas of life do you feel most commonly inspired by?
JR: Getting ready is fun because I can flitter about experimenting with backgrounds or light while someone is getting hair and make up done. Being a photographer requires patience but I have developed that in my life which is a big bonus! I practice Buddhism, and Buddhism teaches that everyone I equal - equal to being a Buddha. So I love to allow people on a photo session to fully manifest their best talents without interfering too much and that is why people enjoy being around my studio. Life Is inspiring, all phases of life, being young is fun getting older is fascinating. Being ill, for example teaches one about life, and death is not something that I am afraid of at all.
MM: You've taken a great deal of iconic celebrity portraits, what aspects of a person do you try to explore when taking their picture?
JR: Their humanity! I like people to look their best in my photographs, and sometimes that can be sexy, or soft or strong Or sometimes they can be funny or frisky!
MM: Who is the most beautiful person you have ever taken a picture of?
JR: Honestly there have been so many beauties. Tina Turner was beautiful when I photographed her. Arnold ,the Governor of California now, was a stunning specimen of a man when I photographed him. Kirste Hume, the Scottish model has a delicate Celtic beauty about her.
MM: Taking someone's picture is an intimate process. Have you ever fallen in love with someone whilst working?
JR: I have! I fell in love with a model called Nicholas once.... and fought hard not to let my lust get in the way of being a professional photographer...and funnily enough my love for him has lasted 25 years...we are still great friends. I even had a small crush on Chris Isaac, especially as he sang just for me with his guitar.
MM: You've worked with some incredible artists, which do you remember as the best talents you have encountered over the years?
JR: The best talents are the ones that we all recognize. Diana Ross, Kim Novak, Ed Harris, Angelica Huston..Oh the list is loooong!
MM: You have commented that Old Hollywood is dead: the glamour, loyalty and poise. Do you think this is reflective in photography today? Do you think the fashions and beauties are not quite what they once were?
JR: No. Beauty reinvents itself over and over again. Old Hollywood was a great time for its time, but that time has passed and now there is new beauty and new inspiration. I think it is fun to re interpret old images and recreate them in a new modern way.
MM: You love black and white photography, is their a need for the revival of this classic medium?
JR: I do love the black and white image, and am happy to see it is very much alive these days. We live in a new Century, full of invention and brilliance. It is time to use the modern technologies that keep appearing hour by hour! I cannot believe how much history I have witnessed. I remember using a telephone with an operator on a switchboard! Now look at the modem technology we have today like the phone and so on.
MM: What modern photographers, stylists, magazines and models do you admire?
JR: I am crazy about Steven Klein's photography. I adore his imagination. Did you see the images in Japan vogue of guys dressed as horses? Fantastic! I am a big fan of Michael Roberts too and have known him well for decades. He is a brilliant writer, and illustrator as well as an extraordinary stylist. I worship the new crop of models like Caroline Trentini and Coco Rocha.
MM: Your work is showed all over the work and you have presented an archive of your images in various books, have you any more future plans to show your work or compile further books?
JR: I have 2 books I want to do.
The first is a story, illustrated and written by me about my Czech grandmother. The second is a beauty book in sub Saharan Africa!
MM: You used to run a vintage shop n Covent Garden that was regularly inundated with celebs and a host of the mostess in fabulous and glam! Chat to me about that?
JR: It was a terrific time in London, when I ran Nostalgia. Grace Coddington was still a model back then! I loved that little hole in the wall, because it was its own unique scene. I used to wake up early in the morning to go to estate sales or head out to Portobello Road to find furs and 1930's dresses and accessories. It was not a time for designer labels but a quality of workmanship that I liked. Then I would clean and repair the items and often stood in the middle of the shop ironing as stylists came in or shoppers tried on the clothing. The fruit market was still there in Covent Garden then, and the RSC was down the road so I was always bumping into Ian McKellan or some groom having a fitting at Moss Bros for his top hat and tails!
MM: What is your proudest achievement?
JR: Staying alive to curate 'Untouched'! So many of my contemporaries are not around anymore....But somehow I am still kicking!
MM: Future plans/current projects?
JR: I want to teach young people ,young student of the visual arts to SEE! I would love to do an advertising project for say the Gap featuring up and coming actors.
MM: Describe life in three words?
JR: Exciting, Hopeful and Joyous.
MM: and your photography is one sentence?
JR: I am on the verge of reinspiring myself and reinventing my vision, learning new Photoshop techniques, or how to excel at digital work - but I do that everyday.