3rd Photo Memoir for Legendary Photographer...
3rd Photo Memoir for Legendary...
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LEGENDARY JOHN ROBERT ROWLANDS - RELEASED 3rd MEMOIR
'Shooting Stars, Telling Tales from Behind The Lens of John Rowlands' by author Bob Klanac.
John Rowlands is a photographer whose work documents some of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century at moments of creative and cultural transformation. Working primarily during the 1960s and 1970s, he photographed artists not as distant icons but as living presences — onstage, backstage, and in the charged spaces in between. Rowlands' access was rooted in trust rather than spectacle. He worked quietly, often close to the stage or just beyond it, observing rather than directing. This approach allowed him to capture images that feel unguarded and immediate, shaped by timing, proximity, and restraint rather than performance for the camera.
That trust was recognised by the artists themselves. David Bowie, speaking to Rowlands over one of the many breakfasts they shared, once said:
"I trust you. I like the way you see. I like the way you think."
It was an acknowledgment not only of access, but of intent.
Throughout this period, Rowlands photographed many of the defining figures of modern music, including David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley and many more. His images appeared in major publications of the time, yet much of his most significant work was never widely circulated.
Despite the scope and importance of the material, Rowlands was separated from the bulk of his original negatives and transparencies for more than 45 years. During a period when many photographers were consolidating their archives and reputations, his ability to publish, exhibit, or fully contextualise his work was severely limited. As a result, large portions of the archive remained unseen, unprinted, and effectively unknown outside a small circle.
The recovery and careful reassessment of this material has made it possible, for the first time, to present the work as it was originally intended. The photographs are approached not as memorabilia, but as cultural artifacts — documents of performance, presence, and transformation captured at the moment they occurred.
All works presented are produced using museum-grade digitisation from original materials, and printed as strictly limited editions using archival pigment processes on heavyweight, acid-free papers. Each edition is carefully controlled to preserve both material integrity and historical context.
What is shown here represents a curated introduction to a much larger body of work that continues to be studied, restored, and released with care.
JOHN ROBERT ROWLANDS received The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient was presented this special award which goes to an individual who has been an outstanding contributor to the London and area music community over many years. The not-for-profit Forest City London Music Awards Board of Directors grants this distinction to a worthy individual(s) on an annual basis to thank them for their service to the London and area music community and to inspire others to contribute to our music community in an impactful manner.
London-based photographer John Rowlands was born in post-war Oshawa, Ontario, and raised in Ottawa who is renowned for capturing quintessential moments of the world's greatest pop culture icons on film. Encouraged by his father, a radio station manager, on-air personality and serious amateur photographer, John was supplied with the senior Rowland's handed-down, professional-grade camera gear and equipment. He seemed innately gifted with a camera.
John's father also imparted his reverence for music upon his son by forwarding him an advance on his weekly allowance when he wanted to purchase a concert ticket. On one such occasion, the then-13-year-old embarked on what was to become his first unofficial but seminal rock photography gig - Brenda Lee at an Ottawa concert in September 1960.
After the concert, John found his way backstage to Ms. Lee's dressing room and after politely introducing himself to the pop idol's mother, he met not just his teen crush but the vocation he would passionately pursue for the rest of his life. After sharing the shots he'd taken with his father's borrowed camera, her management liked his photos so much that he was paid a whopping $35 for his efforts.
It wasn't long before his images of rock 'n' roll royalty began to appear in major music publications around the globe, including Time, News World, Life and Rolling Stone. John was embedded on a tour with Elvis Presley and that success led to him ultimately living much of his professional life on the road with music's greatest stars. For the next five decades he photographed The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, The Who, Rush, Kiss, Sam Cooke, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Glen Campbell, Leonard Cohen, Willie Nelson and countless more acts.
When asked if he has a personal favourite piece from his life's work, John admits he has a soft spot for his iconic photo of David Bowie, taken in 1976 during the Station to Station tour stop in Toronto. The black-and-white side bust profile shot shows The Thin White Duke with his right arm drawn back, hand cocked just behind his ear, microphone clutched in his extended left hand which disappears into darkness, in dramatic near-Rembrandt stage lighting. The rock icon loved this image above all others, and Bowie himself dubbed it, "The Archer". With a career that continues to flourish for well over 6.5 decades, let's celebrate the man and his life's work inside this 3rd edition memoir, ''Shooting Stars, Telling Tales from Behind The Lense of John Rowlands!"
VIDEO and Website FOR YOUR INTERVIEW RESEARCH NEEDS -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LggF8RYtKRI
Visit: https://www.johnrowlands.co/
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LEGENDARY JOHN ROBERT ROWLANDS - RELEASED 3rd MEMOIR
'Shooting Stars, Telling Tales from Behind The Lens of John Rowlands' by author Bob Klanac.
John Rowlands is a photographer whose work documents some of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century at moments of creative and cultural transformation. Working primarily during the 1960s and 1970s, he photographed artists not as distant icons but as living presences — onstage, backstage, and in the charged spaces in between. Rowlands' access was rooted in trust rather than spectacle. He worked quietly, often close to the stage or just beyond it, observing rather than directing. This approach allowed him to capture images that feel unguarded and immediate, shaped by timing, proximity, and restraint rather than performance for the camera.
That trust was recognised by the artists themselves. David Bowie, speaking to Rowlands over one of the many breakfasts they shared, once said:
"I trust you. I like the way you see. I like the way you think."
It was an acknowledgment not only of access, but of intent.
Throughout this period, Rowlands photographed many of the defining figures of modern music, including David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley and many more. His images appeared in major publications of the time, yet much of his most significant work was never widely circulated.
Despite the scope and importance of the material, Rowlands was separated from the bulk of his original negatives and transparencies for more than 45 years. During a period when many photographers were consolidating their archives and reputations, his ability to publish, exhibit, or fully contextualise his work was severely limited. As a result, large portions of the archive remained unseen, unprinted, and effectively unknown outside a small circle.
The recovery and careful reassessment of this material has made it possible, for the first time, to present the work as it was originally intended. The photographs are approached not as memorabilia, but as cultural artifacts — documents of performance, presence, and transformation captured at the moment they occurred.
All works presented are produced using museum-grade digitisation from original materials, and printed as strictly limited editions using archival pigment processes on heavyweight, acid-free papers. Each edition is carefully controlled to preserve both material integrity and historical context.
What is shown here represents a curated introduction to a much larger body of work that continues to be studied, restored, and released with care.
JOHN ROBERT ROWLANDS received The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient was presented this special award which goes to an individual who has been an outstanding contributor to the London and area music community over many years. The not-for-profit Forest City London Music Awards Board of Directors grants this distinction to a worthy individual(s) on an annual basis to thank them for their service to the London and area music community and to inspire others to contribute to our music community in an impactful manner.
London-based photographer John Rowlands was born in post-war Oshawa, Ontario, and raised in Ottawa who is renowned for capturing quintessential moments of the world's greatest pop culture icons on film. Encouraged by his father, a radio station manager, on-air personality and serious amateur photographer, John was supplied with the senior Rowland's handed-down, professional-grade camera gear and equipment. He seemed innately gifted with a camera.
John's father also imparted his reverence for music upon his son by forwarding him an advance on his weekly allowance when he wanted to purchase a concert ticket. On one such occasion, the then-13-year-old embarked on what was to become his first unofficial but seminal rock photography gig - Brenda Lee at an Ottawa concert in September 1960.
After the concert, John found his way backstage to Ms. Lee's dressing room and after politely introducing himself to the pop idol's mother, he met not just his teen crush but the vocation he would passionately pursue for the rest of his life. After sharing the shots he'd taken with his father's borrowed camera, her management liked his photos so much that he was paid a whopping $35 for his efforts.
It wasn't long before his images of rock 'n' roll royalty began to appear in major music publications around the globe, including Time, News World, Life and Rolling Stone. John was embedded on a tour with Elvis Presley and that success led to him ultimately living much of his professional life on the road with music's greatest stars. For the next five decades he photographed The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, The Who, Rush, Kiss, Sam Cooke, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Glen Campbell, Leonard Cohen, Willie Nelson and countless more acts.
When asked if he has a personal favourite piece from his life's work, John admits he has a soft spot for his iconic photo of David Bowie, taken in 1976 during the Station to Station tour stop in Toronto. The black-and-white side bust profile shot shows The Thin White Duke with his right arm drawn back, hand cocked just behind his ear, microphone clutched in his extended left hand which disappears into darkness, in dramatic near-Rembrandt stage lighting. The rock icon loved this image above all others, and Bowie himself dubbed it, "The Archer". With a career that continues to flourish for well over 6.5 decades, let's celebrate the man and his life's work inside this 3rd edition memoir, ''Shooting Stars, Telling Tales from Behind The Lense of John Rowlands!"
VIDEO and Website FOR YOUR INTERVIEW RESEARCH NEEDS -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LggF8RYtKRI
Visit: https://www.johnrowlands.co/
Posted Online 1 week ago
