Born John Rankin Waddell in Glasgow 1966, Rankin (his business name) is a British portrait and fashion photographer. Brought up in Hertfordshire, he originally attended Brighton Polytechnic to study accounting. During his time here, he discovered his heart didn’t lie in numbers, but elsewhere, and dropped out to attend Barnfield College Luton to study photography, and then moved on to the London College of Printing. It was at this time that he met Jefferson Hack. In 1992 the two launched Dazed & Confused magazine, a magazine that focused on music, art and fashion...and that’s where the story really begins.
Dazed.
Rankin is known for creating some landmark editorial and advertising campaigns. His mass of work includes some of the biggest brands, celebrated publications and even charity work. He has shot for Nike, Dove, Women’s Aid, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Elle, German Vouge, GQ and Wonderland, to name just a few! His work has always managed to question social norms, and the general idea of what is beautiful. Furthering his attempts to make us question the socially accepted idea of beauty, Rankin published a quarterly anti-fashion magazine in late 2000, made solely to celebrate Dazed & Confused the unconventional beauty magazine provided a hidden all around us, named platform for emerging simply Rank. stylists, designers, photographers and In the business, Rankin writers alike. It formed a is known for his intimate distinctive mark in the arts approach and playful sense and publishing platforms. of humour. He became It created its own cult known for his band, artist, following, and moulded supermodel and politician its followers trends. It has portraits. It’s been said he’s been thanked for bringing photographed everyone some of the brightest from “The Queen of fashion lights into our England to the Queen foreground. In 1999 Rankin of Pop,” and he became and Jefferson formed known widely as a celebrity Dazed Film and TV, a portrait artist. Some of his follow on from the success best known works include; of the magazine, which Kate Moss, Madonna, would produce a mast-head David Bowie, Lily Allen, broadcast for Channel 4 The Rolling Stones, named Renegade TV Gets Vivienne Westwood and
Queen Elizabeth II. However, not one to stick to what society expects, he has produced a number of campaigns that feature only “real women”, marking him as a genuinely passionate portrait artist, no matter his subject. He won awards for his work on Dove’s “Real Women” campaign, which epitomised his approach to his work, and he has often been said to “stick out due to his creative fearlessness.” Rankin constantly pursues personal projects which push his limits, and tend to have a high impact. Whether his work is personal or commercial, Rankin has managed to take some of the most iconic, contemporary portraits, and shown the world his ability to stay frank and his passion for our modern culture.
be a cover star, Rankin snapped around 1600 people on the streets of London, touched up there photo’s, printed and hung them within half an hour of the picture being shot. This amazing live spectacle ran for 7 weeks before going on tour to Mexico and New York, and was mainly inspired by Rankin’s love of how photography was progressing in the modern, technology driven, world.
In later years Rankin has also turned himself to the study of photography via television. Working for the BBC he has shown a number of documentaries, including “The Seven Photographs that Changed Fashion”, “Shooting the Stars”, and “South Africa in Pictures”. His love for charity work has seen him travel the world, creating As well as his number of some of the most powerful magazine publications, charity campaigns, as both Rankin has published photographer and director. over 30 books, and is regularly shown in galleries Rankin really does seem worldwide, including his to be a man determined own gallery in London. His to share his love with “Show Off” exhibit opened the world, and not settle in Dussledorf in 2012 and for the minimum’s of his drew in 30,000 visitors in 3 talent. Constantly pushing months. Proving that even himself to follow his as a British photographer, heart, and not his wallet, his work is appreciated and Rankin has created some loved world wide. 2009 of the most eye catching, was, perhaps, the biggest thought provoking portraits year for Rankin, as he set photography of our time, off his mammoth “Rankin and he doesn’t look to be Live” show. Rankin Live slowing down any time showed that anyone could soon!
Written by Jade Shaw The Untold Magazine 41