Ross Halfin

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Ross Halfin
Born (1957-08-11) 11 August 1957 (age 66)
London, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Photographer, Concert Photography
Websitehttps://www.rosshalfin.com

Ross William Halfin (born 11 August 1957) is a British rock and roll photographer. Since the late 1970s he has worked for some of the biggest acts in rock and heavy metal, including Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, The Who, Kiss, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Van Halen, Def Leppard and many others.

Early life[edit]

Halfin was born and raised in Wimbledon Chase, London[1] to a Scottish mother and Russian father.

His father Lazarus was a Russian Jewish actor, who then became a music publisher. He had a number one hit in 1957 as writer of the song "You're a Pink Toothbrush".[2][3][4] which was a UK number one single for Max Bygraves. His uncle Dennis was a commando who was captured by the Nazis in Crete during World War II. Because he was Jewish, he threw away his ID card, stating he was Canadian and then spent four years as a prisoner of war in Colditz.[5]

Halfin originally wanted to be an artist when he grew up. He attended the Wimbledon School of Art starting in 1975 where he studied painting.

Disillusioned with the school's preoccupation with Modernism, he started shooting music photography, bringing his camera along to rock concerts, which he could do with no restrictions at the time.[6] He later claimed he became a rock photographer by accident.[7]

Career[edit]

Halfin shoots both freelance and assignment pieces, for magazines and clients directly.

He has toured with many bands, including Metallica, Iron Maiden, Status Quo, Def Leppard, The Who, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Jam, Blondie, Mötley Crüe, Van Halen, Aerosmith, The Black Crowes, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age and The Mars Volta.

1970s[edit]

Halfin began his career working for Sounds magazine in the 1970s, shooting various artists on the punk scene including The Clash, The Jam, The Sex Pistols, 999 and The Adverts.

1980s[edit]

After linking up with writers Geoff Barton and Peter Makowski, Halfin moved on to working mainly in the US with bands such as Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, UFO, Rush, Journey, Aerosmith and Black Sabbath.[8][9]

In 1980, Halfin became chief photographer of new music magazine Kerrang!, photographing their first cover of AC/DC. He continued shooting with them for the next 20 years.[7]

Halfin took the last photo of Bon Scott alive in 1980, alongside UFO bassist Pete Way.[10]

1990s[edit]

In the 1990s, Halfin took to travel photography on a casual but obscure basis, but his work would later resurface in an issue of Genesis Publications in 2011.[11]

2000s[edit]

Photo of Alice Cooper by Halfin in 2011

Halfin worked with Eminem and Slayer, and started working with Metallica again in 2007.

He attended the Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Olympics Games accompanying Jimmy Page.

2010s[edit]

Continued to shoot Metallica along with other mainly hard rock and metal bands, alongside travel.

In 2011 he confirmed he prefers trees to humans stating "a tree isn't going to shout at you and it doesn't have 10 people around it screaming: 'We've got to wrap this up right now, mate'".[5]

2020s[edit]

Released "Led Zeppelin Vinyl: The Essential Collection" book in 2021. Started doing Q&A signing with Metallica during M72 World Tour dates across the world, while all-but-stopping his infamous Diary.

Personal life[edit]

Halfin lives in Cheam, United Kingdom. He is good friends with Jimmy Page and Rod Smallwood.

Exhibitions[edit]

Books[edit]

  • Iron Maiden: Running Free - The Official Story of Iron Maiden, 1984, Zomba Books[14]
  • Iron Maiden: A photographic history, 1988
  • The Photographer's Led Zeppelin, 1995
  • Fragile: Human Organs, 1996
  • Metallica, 1996
  • Ross Halfin's Work: Bon Jovi, 1996
  • Maximum Who: The Who In The Sixties, 1996
  • Iron Maiden, 2008, Vision On Publishing[15]
  • The Ultimate Metallica, 2010
  • Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History, 2011
  • Sojourner: Ross Halfin Travels, 2011, Genesis Publications[16]
  • Metallica: The Black Album in Black & White, 2021
  • Pete Way by Ross Halfin, 2021
  • Ritchie Blackmore by Ross Halfin, 2021
  • Led Zeppelin Vinyl: The Essential Collection book, 2021
  • Edward Van Halen By Ross Halfin, 2021
  • Randy Rhoads by Ross Halfin, 2021
  • Listen to Whitford by Ross Halfin, 2021
  • The Black Crowes by Ross Halfin, 2022
  • WASP by Ross Halfin, 2022
  • The Collection: Slash, 2022
  • Bon Jovi by Ross Halfin, 2023
  • Pronounced: A Photographic History Of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 2023
  • Queensrÿche by Ross Halfin, 2024
  • Velvet Revolver by Ross Halfin, 2024

References[edit]

  1. ^ Adam Waring (8 March 2020). "Five quick questions with rock photographer Ross Halfin". digitalcameraworld. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Bob Haflin Discogs". Discogs.
  3. ^ Halfin, Ross (18 January 2011). "Ross Halfin - January 2011". Archived from the original on 3 September 2011.
  4. ^ The World Of Max Bygraves : You're A Pink Toothbrush, retrieved 1 February 2024
  5. ^ a b "The Who? Led Zeppelin? I'd rather photograph trees". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Ross Halfin: Rock star photographer". Deutsche Welle. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  7. ^ a b c "'Axl Rose is a silly old man'". The Scotsman. 16 July 2005. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  8. ^ Photo Shoot with Ross Halfin 1987 video. NME
  9. ^ The 5-Minute Interview: Ross Halfin, Rock photographer. The Independent
  10. ^ "Pete Way & Bon Scott". Ross Halfin Photography. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  11. ^ "About".
  12. ^ "Ross Halfin". Flo Peters Gallery. 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Metallica Photos To Be Displayed at Ross Halfin's First-Ever Australian Exhibition". Blabbermouth.net. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  14. ^ Halfin, Ross web (1 January 2008). Iron Maiden: Running Free - The Official Story of Iron Maiden. Zomba. ISBN 978-0946391509.
  15. ^ Halfin, Ross (1 August 2008). Iron Maiden: A Photo Memory by Ross Halfin. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1846094453.
  16. ^ "Sojourner, Ross Halfin Travels: The New Limited Edition Book & Print Set" (PDF). Genesis Publications. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2018.

External links[edit]

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