jeremy fletcher

snapper extraordinaire

Jeremy Fletcher began his career in London in 1959 aged 17, working as a photographic assistant in a studio that specialised in furniture and lingerie photography. He loathed the furniture aspect but got immense satisfaction from hanging lead weights on the rear bra straps of the most curvaceous models around. After four years of learning on the job he set himself up as a freelance photographer, not having a clue whether he'd be offered any work.

Operating from home, a flat in Notting Hill Gate, he called himself Julian Hann, because it seemed like a good idea at the time. One of Jeremy's images from the period shows a nude Jenny Fabian (author of "Groupie") looking rather coy, sitting in his kitchen sink. In 1964 he was recruited to photograph the fast rising Manfred Mann. This, his first 'group shoot', took place in Kensal Green Cemetery and one of the pictures from the session remains a personal favourite. Jeremy began doing regular work for the popular weekly magazine "Fabulous", photographing groups and individual performers of the day.

An introduction to the manager of The Yardbirds opened the door further to Swinging London and led to a busy period shooting some of Britain's most popular emerging artists - The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, the Pretty Things, the Hollies, The Searchers, The Swinging Blue Jeans, the Fortunes, Peter & Gordon, Donovan, Georgie Fame, Chris Farlowe, Zoot Money, Cilla Black, Michael Crawford and also those legendary bluesmen, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.

By the late 60s Jeremy had drifted out of the pop scene into other spheres of photography. In the early 70s he virtually dropped out altogether and grew a considerable quantity of potatoes in Wiltshire. Hundreds of negatives of pop artists were packed away in brown envelopes and more or less forgotten until 1998. In another continent, he started rummaging through them and came across some shots of The Rolling Stones, one of which he printed and framed for a friend. This led to much interest and the discovery of many more fascinating pictures. Ultimately an exhibition, aptly titled "Out Of Time", took place in February 1999, in Melbourne, Australia, where Jeremy now lives.

For Jeremy the exhibition unlocked a treasure trove of memories from a time he calls the happiest of his life. A selection of Jeremy's exhibition photographs can be viewed on this site and are available for purchase as signed original prints. Go to Gallery 1 to view Jeremy's pop pictures and to Gallery 2 to view a selection of other photographic work. Click here to purchase photographs. Jeremy Fletcher is currently available for commission.