This article was originally published by i-D UK.
Brooklyn Beckham has released his very own photobook at the tender age of 18. The book is a series of snapshots and intimate passages of text that capture and document his life. From portraits of his brothers to pictures of his various travels, each chapter tells a different story through Brooklyn’s own eyes. His photos, his words, his life, this is, as the tile suggests, what he sees.
Predictably, the book has gone down a storm with Brooklyn’s young fans. But perhaps, even more predictable, because, well the internet, the book has gone down less well with others. Taking to their various social media platforms, critics, haters, and photographers alike have voiced their disdain for young Becks, waxing lyrical about everything from nepotism to shit photography. “Huge fan of Brooklyn Beckham’s terrible photographs and even worse captions,” tweeted The Independent’s arts editor Alice Jones.
But, like, give the guy a break. He’s 18 and still learning. To quote Random House, who released a statement defending the youngster’s work, “WHAT I SEE is a book for teenagers, by a teenager, which gives Brooklyn’s fans broader insight into his world seen through his unique and creative perspective.” H8ers always gone h8, but at i-D we’re fans not critics, and so to celebrate the release of his very first book, we caught up with Golden Balls Jr. to find out how it’s all going.
He owes it all to his dad…
“When I moved to London my dad bought me my first camera. I started taking some photos and realized how much I loved the whole process. From there I began carrying a camera with me everywhere. Literally everywhere. I studied photography at college and learned more, and I’m going to do a degree in it next.”
He like to keep things natural…
“My style is raw. I don’t retouch anything. It’s very of the moment — snapshots of people, places, and moments in time.”
He finds inspiration all around him…
“I love Nick Knight, David Sims, Alasdair McLellan, and Steven Meisel. All the contemporary fashion greats. In terms of what inspires me to take an image — it can be anything. That’s why I take my camera with me everywhere. And it’s always turned on so I can capture what I see instantly.”
His photography is very instinctual…
“Have your camera ready at all times… nothing over stylized.”
If he were to shoot his very own cover of i-D….
“It would be black and white. A tight crop. I mean that would just be the most amazing opportunity ever. I’d need to think about how I’d want to do it for a long time!”
WHAT I SEE by Brooklyn Beckham is published on June 29th by Penguin Random House UK in hardback.
The book, which contains 300 images, will be launched with an exhibition in partnership with Polo Ralph Lauren at Christie’s 103 New Bond Street, London, on June 27th. The exhibition will run until July 7th before moving to Los Angeles in August.
Credits
Text Tish Weinstock