Who's Who: Bobby Fisher
Bobby Fisher is an american photographer, represented by GOODNOISE, NYC. His work has appeared in The New York Times Style Magazine, G.Q., Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Gather Journal, InStyle, Travel & Leisure, Departures Magazine, W Magazine and more. His commercial clients include brands like Blue Moon Beer, Avon, Transitions Lenses, Eddie Bauer, SAP, Pepsi, and Bank of America.
How I got into advertising?
I had a “scrap book” type portfolio, this is pre-digital age. Personal pictures of my life. Road trips, road kill, surf trips abroad, portraits of “real” people, landscapes, etc. Art buyers/art directors loved it. It told a story I suppose, and pinched that nostalgia nerve. I was “awarded” my first, very large advertising shoot from it. I actually received the confirmation call from my agent in New York, while in the middle of the Indian ocean, (surf trip in the Maldives) via satellite phone. The campaign was a ten day shoot for Avon, through JWT, on location in Miami.
A rundown of the most recent campaign I worked on…
My most recent campaign was a seven day shoot in Los Angeles. The client was Blue Moon Beer (Miller Coors), through The Integer Group. The concept: pairing Chef Roy Choi’s recipes with specific seasonal and limited edition beers. I photographed the process, as well as “hero” shots. We mixed daylight with some Joker 800’s, and warm fill, to get that “magic light” vibe the client wanted.
The best piece of creative work around at the moment is...
Anthony Bourdain’s new cookbook Appetites of course. A collaboration with Tony, Victoria Granof, and myself. Victoria’s a top food stylist here in NYC. She worked with the late great Irving Penn. Tony green-lit the “no holds barred” approach, which created imagery that manages to be both strangely beautiful, and utterly grotesque at once. Sure to make James Beard burp in his grave.
The next big advertising trend is going to be...
Clients keeping it in-house. Awarding campaigns to: Tattooed, top-knotted, plaid clad robots, that make pickles in their basements.
The piece of advertising work I wish I had thought of is...
You would have to expunge the word advertising from that question. I’ve never looked at commercial work from anyone, and ruminated ”wish I’d thought of that!”. Maybe a photograph by Robert Frank, Cartier Bresson, or Josef Koudelka, but nothing commercial.
My favorite digital tool/app at the moment...
I will quote Milton Glaser on this, and switch out the word design with photography. “Computers are to photography as microwaves are to cooking”, that said, the delete button is my favorite tool. I love the sound it makes when the volume is turned up to 11.
In a film about my life, I’d like to be played by...
Toshiro Mifune. Even though he’s Japanese and deceased, his acting skills and rugged good looks are far superior than most thespians of this era.
A word or phrase I overuse...
“is it in focus?”
My last social media update said...
“Narcissism, before it was called a selfie.”
My dream collaboration is: Directing a film with the DP Christopher Doyle, on the island of Attu, with an unlimited supply of Japanese whiskey; and a budget to match.
A piece of criticism I’ve received was...
“You look like Jan-Michael Vincent, after the accident.”
A great piece of advice I received...
Stay open.
Twitter @bobbyfisherfoto
Website: http://bobbyfisherphoto.com
