Simon Cliffe from the BAPLA Academy meets with David Redfern to discuss his life and works. We discover the memories behind the pictures and the kit that was used to create his iconic images.

David Redfern’s career began in the twilight jazz clubs of 1960s London. He risked his one and only camera amongst the jiving teenage crowds. The British Trad boom was under way. His first published photos featured Kenny Ball, Chris Barber, George Melly, and the old Marquee Club.

David began photographing TV Shows like Ready Steady Go and Thank Your Lucky Stars, which were shot during the day. Here he made many of his now classic shots of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Dusty Springfield. Nights were spent at the 100 Club, Ronnie Scott's or the Marquee, where he captured on film all the jazz greats, from Miles Davis to Ella Fitzgerald.

These pictures were to contribute to what is now the most comprehensive jazz collection in Europe. To break into the commercial world by chasing the big American names, David became a regular visitor to the jazz festivals in Newport, Antibes, and Montreux, and the big rock festivals, photographing such greats as Hendrix and Dylan.

The BAPLA Academy is brought to you by the industry that knows photography and knows how to sell photographs. BAPLA (The British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies) is a trade association that represents the interests of hundreds of businesses. Some you may have heard of include Getty Images, PA Images, Reuters, Corbis, and Magnum. We also have cultural heritage members including the TATE, the National Portrait Gallery, the British Museum, and the V&A.