Thebeautiful frame: The story behind the pictures
Camera in one hand, passport in the other, David Eustace has traversed the globe as he built his reputation as one of the world’s finest photographers.
As he celebrates 30 years as an accomplished celebrity, fashion and art photographer, you might be forgiven for thinking lockdown must be a frustrating experience for him.
Like the rest of us, he is stuck at home in Edinburgh at the moment but, despite being kept from the far-flung projects which have studded his career, David remains upbeat. “Lockdown is a pain only in regard to not being able to meet people for a coffee and a chat,” said Eustace. “That’s the hardest thing. But, in all truth, I’ve not lost out on work although I’ve perhaps shot some work that may never come to light.
“But I have a garden where I can footer about. I’ve been incredibly fortunate I’m not a single mother stuck up a high-rise with three kids. I always try to look at the positives and not focus on
things that are wrong.” Over the course of an illustrious career, Eustace, who grew up in Glasgow’s east end, has photographed an array of celebrities from Sir Paul Mccartney and Sophia Loren, to Radiohead and James Earl Jones.
He became a professional photographer in 1991 after a career in first the Royal Navy, on a minesweeper, then as a prison guard at Barlinnie, where he spent five years. Eustace worked at Barlinnie when the frustration of convicts bubbled over into the infamous riots of 1987.
“We’re in lockdown but we’re not prisoners, we can get outside, I can walk round the block right now if I wanted,” said Eustace. “In fact you could go outside and within 10 minutes you’d meet two people whose life is in a worse state than yours.
“I’ve not got much time for having sympathy for myself. I’ve got more sympathy for people
I’ve not got much time for having sympathy for myself
who are missing out on cancer treatments.”
Eustace is sought out not just for his revealing and candid portraits, but also for a no nonsense – but respectful – approach. Whoever is in front of his lens is treated the same
“I’ve never been very good at taking instructions from somebody,” he added. “If they want to do that I’ll give them the camera and I’ll go and make coffee.
“My whole approach is if you commission me, I’ll bring to it what I can. Some people are a contradiction. I took a portrait of boxer Prince Naseem (Hamed) and he was just being an arse. He wasn’t being disrespectful but I thought I wouldn’t rush back to meet him again.
“Then a year later I was helping to do a fundraising auction for Dunblane and he was the first person to reply when I asked people for help. He sent a pair of signed boxing gloves. The best way I could put it is I’ve never met someone I wouldn’t photograph again.”
Here, we’ve asked Eustace to give us the story behind some of his favourite pictures.