Bob Carlos Clarke Dies

He died on March 25 in an accident in London. Although famous for his erotic and sometimes controversial images, he was an excellent commercial and fine art photographer with many iconic images to his credit. Although he showed little if any leanings toward photography in his rebellious early years, he went on to study photography at West Sussex College of Art, The London College of Printing and finally at The Royal College of Art. It was whilst at the RCA that he met and became friends with Allen Jones who also had a fondness for rubber-clad models. This fondness was cultivated by a gentleman associate at the College called "The Commander" who'd developed the passion for rubber whilst a frogman in the navy, however, Bob himself remained but an observer of the fashion.

His portraiture was as striking as it was intimate, capturing his subjects in raw and candid fashion. His Portraits of Vinnie Jones, Keith Richards and Rachel Weiss stand out in particular. The Campaigns for Urban Stone and Wallis are excellent examples of his witty, unique and often imitated approach to projects. The Wallis campaign did the rounds of the internet ... a tribute to the success of his imagery.

His personal work was of a more subtle nature, in an exploration of still life and nature, he shot things pretty much as he saw them, some of his still lifes are incredibly rich and textural in nature. He saw this as the most personal of his work, as he did it out of the love of his art and not to satisfy any brief or client. He will greatly missed by his wife Lindsey and their daughter Scarlett as well as his many friends, family and colleagues. To explore some of Bob Carlos Clarkes photography, visit his website here.