Dafydd Jones on Capturing the Art of the Party, from Oxford to Hollywood
- Vingt Sept
- Apr 16
- 4 min read
An ode to Hollywood—the true Hollywood. The lavish, secret, forgotten one. This is Hollywood Confidential, a coffee-table book made of “little moments” or “pieces of time,” as James Stewart used to call them, shot through the unique eye of Dafydd Jones.
Once upon a time, Mark Zuckerberg was graduating from 5th grade, and the parties—well, the after-parties—were a locked-up universe instead of a digital business card. Once upon a time, Tom Cruise greeted Cuba Gooding Jr., Mick Jagger was ignored by Madonna and Tony Curtis, and Joan Collins shared intimate thoughts with Sir Ian McKellen.
And Dafydd Jones was there. He was always there. An art school graduate, Jones pursued his dream career from a shared studio in Jericho and was bold enough to start a project nobody had ever thought of before: photographing parties and their people. That voluptuous world and its members—who are now desperate to be in front of the lenses—were once often ignored. Oxford, first. Los Angeles, later.
Having worked with Tatler, Vanity Fair, The New York Observer, and many more, Dafydd Jones set a new standard for celebrity photography. Hollywood Confidential, published by ACC Art Books, is a celebration of Jones’s career, providing a rare glimpse into Hollywood’s golden years.
Let’s talk about the very beginning. Back in 1981, you won a prize in a photography contest held by the Sunday Times. How did you get there?
I’d been given a three-day introduction to photography on a foundation course I’d taken at art school. I began using photography as source material for paintings and found that I could capture quite interesting scenes—without anyone noticing me.
After a one-week art school trip to Florence, I began to think that my photographs stood on their own rather than simply serving as source material. After finishing college, I started to consider whether I could make a living as a photographer. I worked a season at Butlin’s Holiday Camp and created a series of my own pictures. I entered these photos into the Sunday Times competition, which was open to anyone under 25. The first prize was the opportunity to work for the magazine, so perhaps because of this, they had over 1,000 entrants. They made a shortlist of 25 and gave us subjects to photograph.
Needless to say, I didn’t win. But my work was published, which led to commissions for a young Tina Brown—and eventually, a job working for her at Tatler.
Has there ever been a moment when you thought, “I want to do this for life”?
No, I never intended to be a party photographer.
Could we consider Tina Brown your mentor? What did she teach you during your Tatler years?
She gave me a dream job—more than once. I was pointed in the right direction and encouraged to do my own thing. She had an eye for the best pictures. I was very privileged to work for her. The office wasn’t like anywhere else I’ve worked—always full of amazing, creative, and clever people.
Your Oxford years led you to capture the early political rise of Boris Johnson and his group. You’ve documented some of the most important historical moments. Were you aware of this at the time?
I wasn’t aware of it then. I could see that Boris was going places—he made the most of his time and opportunities at Oxford. Half the time, though, the only reason I photographed him was because he was wearing a Bullingdon coat, a kind of uniform for a particular upper-class gang.
When attending parties, what were you looking for? What was the “perfect shot” you were trying to capture?
I didn’t—and don’t—have an agenda. I wait for an interesting moment. I don’t have a plan, just the goal of coming away with something meaningful.
Is there one celebrity you met who left a mark on you?
I was inspired by many talented fashion designers, artists, actors, writers, and sometimes eccentrics. My camera would attract these people. I can’t single out just one.
Have you ever had issues with the people you photographed? How did you manage to stay around them without being intrusive?
All sorts of things have happened. I once met someone in Scotland who was highly insulted that I didn’t take his photograph. I thought he was joking, but he was deadly serious—he even said he took it as a personal insult. I learned after that to photograph some people just to keep them happy so they wouldn’t feel left out. Of course, some people don’t want to be photographed. I usually leave them alone.
Has the digital revolution affected your work at all?
In the early nineties, we bought a family computer and scanner. I was introduced to the internet and a graphical browser. I realized I could share pictures with publications all over the world—and in fact, that’s what I did.
But what affected me badly was the gradual decline of advertising in publications. Over 20+ years, advertisers slowly spent less, and fewer people paid for content. There has been a very slow suffocation of independent media.
What do you think differentiates a new-age photographer from one of your generation?
I use modern digital equipment and have done so since digital cameras first existed. A young woman photographing an event last week came up to examine the camera I was using and was surprised to see it was the same model she had.
The funny thing is, younger photographers often assume I’m using analog film cameras. I think it’s just the way I hold the camera—and the fact that I don’t often look at the screen.
Writer Anna Quirino
Editor Jheanelle Feanny
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