Photographing David Bowie – Gavin Evans on ‘The Session’

June 14th, 2026 | by Nick

News

Gavin Evans has photographed some of the most iconic names in popular culture; turning his lens on stars from the worlds of music, film and theatre, to capture intimate moments and candid portraits in his distinctive style. In 1995, during the production of the album 1. Outside, David Bowie came to Evans’ studio with long-time collaborator and friend Brian Eno to have his picture taken. The resulting photographs are some of the most widely reproduced and evocative images of Bowie.

Gavin recalls that day..

How did photographing Bowie in The Session come about?

The call came from Time Out magazine. Bowie was promoting the release of his album Outside and the shoot was scheduled for a Friday afternoon in July ’95. Meeting him was confusing, it was as if I knew him already. He was so familiar I forgot what, not who he was. He greeted me as if he knew me too. There were no surprises, no diva, no division, no disappointment. The Starman was down to earth and stood right in front of me. David called me to the changing room and took me to one side.

He put his hand in his pocket like a watch hawker reaching under his overcoat and pulled out a jewel case. Face-to-face, eye-to-eye, he held the box under my nose, undid the clasp and lifted the lid. A pair of sapphire blue contacts lenses stared back. Bowie was revered for his vision and foresight. He knew my work and knew I would see the subtle yet profound effect of this disguise; rendering his trademark eyes normal. I would be the first to shoot him wearing them; this would be a first for the both of us.I was given a window of an hour which, after introductions and make-up, ended in 40 minutes photographing time. Bowie arrived at the studio in high spirits accompanied by his friend and long-time collaborator Brian Eno. We started the session by shooting a couple of rolls of Brian. David put me to the test, trying his damnedest to distract Brian from the job in hand. Come his turn Bowie was the master of the pose and immediately assumed authority, taking control – or so he thought.

After joking about, shouting and hushing, I reminded him of the contact lenses. Concentration was required and posturing put aside. David spotted a serving tray as he was leaving the studio, picked it up and put it behind his head to create a halo. I wasn’t about to let him get away without shooting this. Hurriedly a light stand was stuck up his back and the tray taped behind his head. David transformed into Peter at the gates of heaven. This was no ordinary Peter, no angel. David’s Peter was a rambunctious bouncer at the gates of a celestial night club and if you were lucky you were sentenced to the happening club downstairs. David had a wicked sense of humour.

What did Bowie think of the pictures?

In 2005 I received a request from David for a print. I presumed it would be one of the flattering images from The Session. To my astonishment he chose my favourite image, one where he appears lost and vulnerable. For me this image of Bowie was different from the rest, it was intimate and touching – the antithesis of the star shot. I felt a connection by his acknowledgement of this image; we were on the same page. The print hung in his Manhattan office, and in 2012 Bowie instructed the portrait to be on the cover and the final page of the V&A Bowie Is book. And there you have it, the portrait – two personalities in the frame; David and me.