Simon Green: British humor isn’t that confusing

We were fortunate enough to get a little face-time with one of the legends of motorsports journalism.  If you’ve ever picked up an industry-related magazine you have seen this man’s work.  King-Cold.com was fortunate enough to sit down with Simon Green and ask him some questions.

We’ve read your bio. What lead you to St. Martin’s School of Art?
“We’ve read your bio?” Just how many of you are there?

I think I applied to St. Martins primarily out of spite. My senior-school art teacher said I had no artistic talent, and later on, my foundation-college tutor said that St Martins would never accept anybody from his college. So of course, I applied. I didn’t even specify a second choice School; I had decided it was St Martins or bust.

Of all the arts you could pursue, why photography?
I didn’t pursue photography, it pursued me. I’m still trying to out-run it, it’s tenacious. I’m currently looking for a safe-house. Actually, I initially specialized in advertising, but when I landed an Ad copywriters job, my co-workers were all so pompous.

Were you able to find a decent paying photography gig straight out of school, or did you have to do something on the side?
I don’t have anything on the side, that’s more of a Frenchman’s thing. I think former French president, Jacques Chirac, even had a mistress come to his funeral. I’m English you know, the French would call us ‘Les Rosbifs’. Sorry, I’m straying. In answer -I’m still looking for a decent paying photography gig, I drive a car that’s 38 years old.

What lead you across the pond to set up shop in America?
I didn’t set up any shops in America, though I do go shopping sometimes. Stuff is a lot cheaper here than in England. But I’d never emigrate for cheap shopping, that would be crazy, I was actually tempted over here by the lure of change. The only constant in life, is change. Somebody said that once, now I’ve said it too.

What was the hardest thing to get used to when you came to America?
Riding and driving, both very scary. They’ll give anybody a license here, I mean does anybody ever fail that driving test? Also food, when you go out to a restaurant, for some reason they put your whole days worth of calories on one plate…

How often do you get to head back to the U.K?
As often as I can, my parents don’t get to see their grand-kids nearly enough.

How long before you started shooting bikes were you riding them? Or vice versa?
Shooting bikes is illegal, I think. I know shooting people is, and bikes don’t go very far without a person to ride them. Maybe you can shoot a bike, if it’s on your own property and you don’t hit the rider, maybe? I’m not a legal professional. But shooting bikes while you’re riding them just sounds very dangerous to me.

However, I’ve always ridden bikes, I was a dispatch rider in the summer holidays off from St Martins, then later I was a bike instructor for six years. I rode well over 250,000 miles in that job alone, it was very tiring, my wrists ached for a long time.

Looking back on it, what was your big break as it pertains to your work getting noticed?
Big break? That would be nice, I’m looking forward to that. Though I have to thank Mike Seate for helping me break into books, and Aaron Frank for helping me within the magazine industry.

When you sit back and think about it, which photoshoot will you always remember? Why?
If I sit back, I’ll fall asleep, I’m getting very old. So I’ll stand up and think about it.

No, I’ve tried and I just can’t remember any photoshoots. Oh wait… No. False alarm. I think I just peed myself.

Hang on; there was a great one with the Bostrom brothers. Eric had just bought a restored Norton Commando (snarly, cool old bike), and within thirty seconds he was hanging the back wheel out, on a dirt track in his front yard. That blew me away. Why? Coz it’s really hard on an unforgiving bike like that.

Do people ever notice you when you’re out and about?
Not if I’m wearing camouflage.

If there is anyone looking to get into photography seriously, what advice would you give them?
If they’re looking seriously, then I guess they should practice their best serious expressions in the mirror. Though I think too many people take themselves seriously right now. Learn to laugh at yourself, and to admit mistakes, that’ll probably help you more than any specific job advice.

Did being a photographer ever get you any “special attention” from the ladies?
Not from “ladies” no. A rottweiler took a shine to me whilst shooting a chopper one day, it might have been a female, I didn’t hang around to ask.

What’s something that most people don’t know about you?
I don’t know, ask them. Then when you find out, tell me. I’d love to know.

Any shameful plugs/promotions?
You can take a look at my industry insider kind of diary here;

Or if any editors out there are feeling charitable, they can go to my site www.shotbysimon.com and give me the ‘big break’ I needed to answer your previous question more effectively.