Enduring Pursuits: Timothy White
Most aspiring photographers would give almost anything to accomplish half of what Timothy White has achieved in his truly legendary career. Over the last 30 years, he has been a highly sought after photographer for the topmost echelon of music and Hollywood talent, capturing the candid sides of mega stars like Brad Pitt, Keith Richards, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Will Smith, Harrison Ford, and many more. In addition to shooting covers for prestigious magazines like Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and Esquire, he has delivered a myriad of movie posters for powerhouses like Sony, Paramount, and Universal. Add to that the various photography books published of his work, and you can see clearly why the word “legend” definitely applies to him.
Currently, in addition to shooting, directing, and executive producing TV projects, Mr. White is co-owner of the Morrison Hotel Gallery ⎯ a vaunted, timeless that specializes in vintage music and fine art photography. It has branches in Maui, Los Angeles and NYC, with curated exhibitions taking place in major cities all over the world. We recently caught up with Timothy before a Morrison Gallery event at the swanky Dream Downtown hotel in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. In an immensely intriguing conversation, he dropped several jewels about the life lessons he’s soaked in over the years, and what’s coming up for his gallery.
Invaluable Life Lessons (In Timothy’s words):
-I’m such a lucky man in so many ways. My life experience has been so interesting, and so gratifying. But I’ve also learned that it’s all so fleeting. I’ve learned that nothing is more important than health and love, and that no matter how long we live and how great our experience, nothing lasts forever.
-I’ve learned that we have no control over life. it just happens to us. The only thing we have control over is our attitude and that’s how we can get through the difficult moments.
-I’ve learned that we’re all different, and that all of us, no matter how similar our experiences, see things differently. Knowing that, makes me give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and makes me try to appreciate everyone for their individuality and what I can learn from them.
-I’ve learned to trust myself, and to go into situations with an open mind. Too much prep, and I’m setting myself up for disappointment. If I’m open to letting things happen, then I will gain from what happens. I’ve used that in my photography – to react rather than act. My creative process is to come to the moment with as much information as possible, but react to what’s in front of me. I know that I’m there to learn and create, and the way to achieve that is to be open to it. It’s always about collaboration and what I can learn from others.
-I’ve learned to give and take as much love as possible. It’s all that really matters. When life goes full circle, and if you’re lucky enough to be healthy, and to have lived through a great life, what’s left and what’s most important is the love that you have around you.
Future of the Morrison Hotel Gallery:
The goal is to bring more awareness to what we do by curating exhibitions and creating more big events so people can experience the artists we represent. This year is the 50th anniversary of 1967, a year that was seminal in pop culture and music. With many important anniversaries coming up (The Doors, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Monterrey Pop festival), we have exhibitions and events planned that will allow us to reach a larger audience by celebrating our musical history through the photography we represent.
Photography by: Colin Keaveney
To learn more, visit TimothyWhite.com
Also, check out the Morrison Hotel Gallery here.
