Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Photography, Celebrity, Memoir, Pop Culture

Book Review:
Richard Young is not just a photographer; he is an institution. For over thirty years, he has been the man behind the camera at every major celebrity event, capturing images that have defined our view of fame. ''Shooting Stars'' is his retrospective, a glorious, gossipy, and often surprisingly moving collection of his best work and the stories that go with it. It is a backstage pass to the last three decades of popular culture.

Young's access is legendary. As restaurateur Peter Langan puts it, he's ''the only bloke I know who can grease his way through a closed door.'' But this book shows that his success is not just about getting in; it's about the rapport he builds with his subjects. The photographs are intimate, revealing, and often candid. You see the stars not as untouchable icons, but as people, caught in moments of joy, vulnerability, and unguarded fun.

The book is packed with incredible stories and images. There's the haunting last photograph of Keith Moon, taken hours before his death, at a party with Paul and Linda McCartney. There are the poignant final official photographs of Princess Diana. There are images of Madonna and Puff Daddy partying in the late 90s, of Richard Burton after a night with Elizabeth Taylor, of Sting and Trudie Styler on their wedding day. The list goes on and on. It's a who's who of the last half-century.

Phil Collins writes, ''Richard is indeed a friend. I trust him, I like him and he takes great photographs.'' That trust is evident in every image. Young's subjects are comfortable, allowing him to capture something genuine.

''Shooting Stars'' is a must-have for anyone interested in celebrity culture, photography, or simply the spectacle of the last thirty years. It's a beautiful, entertaining, and surprisingly insightful book. As Lord Snowdon, himself a master photographer, says, Young is ''one of the most important photographers of the 20th Century.'' This book proves it.