Highlights from James Elliott's - first interview.
Elliott was 23 years old.
Jack Schofield discovers a young master. He probably would have discovered Elliott a year earlier if he wasn't a five hour train journey from Cambridge. James lived in Devon at the time, had no money and no telephone. Still, full credit to Schofield for finally making the effort and creating a historical first.
(Jack became Computer Editor of The Guardian)

Jack Schofield text: He seems intense and has an analytical turn of mind, but this is only one side of him, he is also witty and amusing........

His pictures don't come from "out there" in the outside world, "but from in here" and he taps his head.

James Elliott quote: I feel that if a photograph looks nice then it's good. If a photograph has meaning then it's good. But if it looks good AND has meaning then it is IDEAL"

James Elliott quote: "I am getting much more critical of my work. Nowadays if something tilts half a millimeter I'll throw it away. Sometimes I'll spend an hour looking at two images without being able to decide which is better. Perhaps I'm getting TOO critical! All I do know is that my work is becoming more diversified and I'm becoming much more critical about what I will accept as a good picture".

Schofield text: James Elliott is serious about his photography. You might think he's TOO serious for it to be much fun, but he is producing a lot of original pictures - worked out in most cases, in the most minute detail before they are taken.

But doesn't anything ever go wrong? Doesn't chaos ever get a look in? Isn't there always a gap between the idea and the execution?

James Elliott quote: "Oh that! That really does cause havoc sometimes! The mental anguish you can go through when making a picture is phenomenal. Sometimes it almost makes me scream when things don't go right!"

"But as long as you've got the diligence to rack your brain until its drawn out what you think is necessary to do it, there is no image you can conjure up in your mind which cannot be put down on film. Nothing. Absolutely nothing".

Jack Schofield interviewed James Elliott at his Darkstudio in Buckfastleigh, Devon for Photo Technique in 1974. At the time the UK's best creative photography magazine.
Looking back on this a quarter of a century later you have to give Schofield credit for being extremely perceptive, very early on. Both for discovering Elliott and assessing his character brilliantly. The 23 year old Elliott had just created "Remorse" but had yet to create "Claustrophobia" and magnum opus "Metasphere". Although Elliott's work was being published as early as 1972 this is the first interview.

JAMES ELLIOTT.com