Life Through an Aperture: The Films and Photography of Keith Hamshere recension av Brian James Smith

Av: Brian Smith

Publicerad:
2025-01-06

Life Through an Aperture, Keith Hamshere, review

Keith Hamshere’s work has been seen by millions. He has shot James Bond, Indiana Jones and Ethan Hunt, to name but a few. His photographs have graced movie posters, publicity material, making-of books and magazines for decades. The first book I owned about James Bond was the Marvel/Grandreams’ For Your Eyes Only Special. At 11-year-old I devoured it, small print and all, which noted that all photographs from the movie were by Keith Hamshere. From that young age Hamshere’s name was always on my radar, one of the Bond team straddling the Moore, Dalton and Brosnan eras, but I knew very little about him until now.

In Life Through An Aperture, Keith Hamshere tells his story in collaboration with author Gareth Owen (who brings his recollections into focus) and publisher The History Press. It is the same winning combination that made John Richardson’s Making Movie Magic my favourite Bond-related book of 2019.

Now retired, Hamshere’s photographic career spanned 50 years, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, but his remarkable story began at the age of 11 when he won a television talent show playing his ukulele. He was snapped up by Max Bygraves for his show at the London Palladium which led to him taking the title role as the first ever ‘Oliver’ in Lionel Bart’s stage musical. Film roles followed, the last of which was in Michael Winner’s Play It Cool in 1962, coincidental with his burgeoning interest in photography thanks to his friend Johnny Jay.

Jay was working on Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey when Hamshere was invited to work on the film. It became a two-year assignment during which he met Hilary, his future wife, shot large format plates in South Africa to be used in the opening Dawn Of Man sequence, and became friends with director Stanley Kubrick. Despite Kubrick’s undignified handling of Hamshere towards the end of the shoot, which resulted in Hamshere handing in his notice, the pair reunited for Barry Lyndon (1973).

With Hamshere’s reputation established, he went straight to work on Harry Saltzman’s Battle Of Britain (1969) and thereafter on a succession of major motion pictures. His work on Richard Lester’s Royal Flash (1975) brought about his engagement on the director’s Superman II (1980) and Superman III (1983). He also worked on several Lucasfilm productions including Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984), Willow (1988) and three Star Wars movies - The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Having turned down Moonraker (1979) due to conflicting schedules, Hamshere was invited by publicity director Charles ‘Jerry’ Juroe to be stills photographer on For Your Eyes Only (1981), the first of eight Bonds he worked on, ending with Die Another Day in 2002. In August 1986, during a press event for The Living Daylights in Vienna, Hamshere took Timothy Dalton to one side and photographed him wearing his leather jacket and holding the Walther PPK. This iconic image, which redefined Bond, became the film’s teaser poster.

Timothy Dalton, The Living Daylights, Keith Hamshere

Timothy Dalton, The Living Daylights, Keith Hamshere

Life Through An Aperture is as much an autobiography as it is a portrait of the film industry from an insider whose job it is to observe as well as capture iconic moments. It is profusely illustrated by Hamshere’s own publicity photos and behind-the-scenes photographs.

His relationship with the movies is at the heart of the book. Refreshingly candid yet positively affectionate, Hamshere details his transformation from actor to movie stills photographer and lends a perspective to a filmmaking discipline rarely written about.

Review by Brian Smith. Copyright © 2025 From Sweden with Love. All rights reserved.

Editor's Note:
Order Life Through An Aperture: The Films and Photography of Keith Hamshere from Amazon UK or Amazon.com.

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Life Through an Aperture: The Films and Photography of Keith Hamshere recension av Brian James Smith

Life Through An Aperture is as much an autobiography as it is a portrait of the film industry from an insider whose job it is to observe as well as capture iconic moments. It is profusely illustrated by Hamshere’s own publicity photos and behind-the-scenes photographs.

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