After 30 years photographing pop-culture icons, Rankin has returned to his roots in publishing. Fashion and lifestyle magazine The Hunger feeds his love of new things but, as he reveals in this interview, it hasn't stopped him feeling his age or questioning what he's done with his life
"When you get to 40," says Rankin, "you can go one of two ways with your career as a photographer. Just take the money [for commercial jobs] and concentrate on personal projects, or reinvest in what you've been doing."
Rankin has plumped for the latter option. He started his career in 1992 with the launch of Dazed & Confused magazine with journalist Jefferson Hack, and now he's returned to publishing after a decade focused on photography. His new title is The Hunger, a biannual magazine filled with a jumble of stories about art, film, music and fashion. The name refers to Rankin's desire to find out about new things, and to the creative drive of the faces in its pages. Familiar faces such as Cheryl Cole and Rhys Ifans are as likely to appear as cutting-edge bands or fashion designers. "There's lots of low culture," says Rankin. "That's my interest. That was always the difference at Dazed. I watched a lot of TV; Jefferson read a lot of books."
The latest issue's loose theme is a new female attitude, illustrated by interviews with singer-songwriter Rita Ora, actor Juno Temple and models Crystal Renn and Coco Rocha. "These women have control of their careers in a way I hadn't seen before," he says. "They follow their instinct, do what they want creatively." Which sounds like waffle, until he adds: "I think this has a lot to do with social media. Talking to fans and experiencing their direct support gives these women confidence in their voices. It's the first generation which has always had access to the internet and so, ultimately, to knowledge. Not to wisdom, but definitely to knowledge. These people have grown up with worldwide communication, and their landscape is international."
Rankin's chat is ambling and garrulous, but the point is astute – and ends on a melancholy note. "The impact of social media is probably the last big thing I'll see. I'm at the point when I'm thinking about my anthology."
He mentions his age a lot. Unsurprising for someone heading for 50 who's been immersed in three decades of pop culture. "I'm not trying to hold on to my youth," he says. "I'm not cool; I don't go out. I can't – I wouldn't be able to get up in the mornings. I had a brilliant time partying in the 90s, but I wouldn't try and recreate that. I just love working with people who come in and go: 'Wow! What's going on?' I've always worked with assistants, and now there's the editorial team. All these young people eager to create stuff."
What he does clearly works. Last month Observer Magazine polled British fashion students on who they considered the most influential industry figures. Rankin was voted higher up on our list than Anna Wintour.
He doesn't profess in-depth knowledge of pop culture. Sometimes he finds it "terribly trendy". "But early on I decided not to make my mind up about people until I met them. You know, I've photographed Jamiroquai. He's a nice guy. Gordon Brown – charming. That's the attitude I have when I hear a ridiculous track. I try not to judge."
Talking to Rankin it's odd to remember that he appeared so arrogant back in the 90s. His affable manner also makes it easy to forget how much he's achieved. That he's shot everyone from Madonna, Tony Blair and Kate Moss to the Queen and David Bowie. That he owns a state-of-the-art studio as well as galleries in London and Los Angeles and has published 30 books. He's also presented photography documentaries for the BBC.
He recently received the nod that he's on the way to national-treasure status when he was invited on to Desert Island Discs. "I thought I came off a bit tragic," he says. "Talking about what I've done made me feel I need do something with more substance." He squirmed under Kirsty Young's questioning. "She's got a silver Scottish tongue, but she doesn't pull her punches. But there's only one way to do interviews. Tell the truth. Do that or shut up. I can't shut up."
The new issue of The Hunger is out on 4 April Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.
"When you get to 40," says Rankin, "you can go one of two ways with your career as a photographer. Just take the money [for commercial jobs] and concentrate on personal projects, or reinvest in what you've been doing."
Rankin has plumped for the latter option. He started his career in 1992 with the launch of Dazed & Confused magazine with journalist Jefferson Hack, and now he's returned to publishing after a decade focused on photography. His new title is The Hunger, a biannual magazine filled with a jumble of stories about art, film, music and fashion. The name refers to Rankin's desire to find out about new things, and to the creative drive of the faces in its pages. Familiar faces such as Cheryl Cole and Rhys Ifans are as likely to appear as cutting-edge bands or fashion designers. "There's lots of low culture," says Rankin. "That's my interest. That was always the difference at Dazed. I watched a lot of TV; Jefferson read a lot of books."
The latest issue's loose theme is a new female attitude, illustrated by interviews with singer-songwriter Rita Ora, actor Juno Temple and models Crystal Renn and Coco Rocha. "These women have control of their careers in a way I hadn't seen before," he says. "They follow their instinct, do what they want creatively." Which sounds like waffle, until he adds: "I think this has a lot to do with social media. Talking to fans and experiencing their direct support gives these women confidence in their voices. It's the first generation which has always had access to the internet and so, ultimately, to knowledge. Not to wisdom, but definitely to knowledge. These people have grown up with worldwide communication, and their landscape is international."
Rankin's chat is ambling and garrulous, but the point is astute – and ends on a melancholy note. "The impact of social media is probably the last big thing I'll see. I'm at the point when I'm thinking about my anthology."
He mentions his age a lot. Unsurprising for someone heading for 50 who's been immersed in three decades of pop culture. "I'm not trying to hold on to my youth," he says. "I'm not cool; I don't go out. I can't – I wouldn't be able to get up in the mornings. I had a brilliant time partying in the 90s, but I wouldn't try and recreate that. I just love working with people who come in and go: 'Wow! What's going on?' I've always worked with assistants, and now there's the editorial team. All these young people eager to create stuff."
What he does clearly works. Last month Observer Magazine polled British fashion students on who they considered the most influential industry figures. Rankin was voted higher up on our list than Anna Wintour.
He doesn't profess in-depth knowledge of pop culture. Sometimes he finds it "terribly trendy". "But early on I decided not to make my mind up about people until I met them. You know, I've photographed Jamiroquai. He's a nice guy. Gordon Brown – charming. That's the attitude I have when I hear a ridiculous track. I try not to judge."
Talking to Rankin it's odd to remember that he appeared so arrogant back in the 90s. His affable manner also makes it easy to forget how much he's achieved. That he's shot everyone from Madonna, Tony Blair and Kate Moss to the Queen and David Bowie. That he owns a state-of-the-art studio as well as galleries in London and Los Angeles and has published 30 books. He's also presented photography documentaries for the BBC.
He recently received the nod that he's on the way to national-treasure status when he was invited on to Desert Island Discs. "I thought I came off a bit tragic," he says. "Talking about what I've done made me feel I need do something with more substance." He squirmed under Kirsty Young's questioning. "She's got a silver Scottish tongue, but she doesn't pull her punches. But there's only one way to do interviews. Tell the truth. Do that or shut up. I can't shut up."
The new issue of The Hunger is out on 4 April Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.