What I see: Brooklyn Beckham is a photography book compiled by David and Victoria Beckham’s eldest son. It was launched in 2017 to mixed reviews – that is to say, it received more than its fair share of flak. And I’ve always hated that.
The fact is, anyone can publish a photo book, and everyone has the right to. Photography is a toxic-enough industry at the best of times, but did we really need to publicly lambast a 16-year-old photographer?
The thing that’s always troubled me most about the way the world received Brooklyn Beckham’s photography book is that he swiftly moved on from a potential career in the field. I’ve always wondered, did the reception to What I see put him off? I sincerely hope not.
I’ve never been able to fathom what people were expecting from Brooklyn Beckham’s photography book. It never professed to be a carefully conceived personal project by a veteran shooter; it’s a collection of family photos captured through the lens of a teenage boy. I’m a half-decent photographer, but the photos I took at 16 were utter crap. A lot worse than Brooklyn’s!
I tell you what I see when I look at Brooklyn’s work: a young photographer with a passion for photography who had so much room to grow. But the armchair warriors and internet bullies smelled blood, and they just couldn’t help themselves.
Part of the problem was Brooklyn’s much-talked-about shoot for Burberry. In 2016, the younger Beckham was invited to photograph a campaign for the luxury fashion brand – a move that was labelled as nepotism.
Granted, I find it difficult to argue against this particular situation. But I’ll say it again: what fashion photography-loving teenager would pass up an opportunity to shoot for Burberry? Surely those around Brooklyn should have foreseen the backlash; you can’t blame the then-boy.
I'm always happy to see a celebrity promote their passion for photography. In a world where a dedicated camera is no longer an everyday essential for the large majority of the population, inspiring a few more would-be-togs to pick up a camera is alright by me. Just think how many teens Brooklyn could have inspired, and would be continuing to inspire, if he’d continued his photography journey.
I just hope we – the braying photography public – had nothing to do with his decision not to pursue the art form as a career, for now. There's still time.
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If you're into photography books, check out the best books on fashion photography and the best books on portrait photography. And for more of my ramblings: We are becoming desensitized to great photography.
