Alasdair McLellan is one of the leading fashion photographers of his generation. A regular contributor to magazines like i-D, Self Service, Another Man and Vogue McLellan is now exhibiting at the 032c Workshop in Berlin. La Lettre’s art director Magnus Naddermier talks to him about exhibitions, Stock, Aitken & Waterman and growing up in Doncaster.

You´re exhibiting at the 032c Workshop in Berlin. Do you know Berlin well? Do you like Berlin?
It was a first time for me. Sandra von Mayer-Myrtenhein and Joerg Koch from 032c showed me around so it was very nice to spend a week there.

Did you do exhibitions before, or is this your first time?

This is my first solo show. I have been part of group shows at the V&A’s Imperfect Beauty and at the Photographers Gallery for a exhibition on the stylist Simon Foxton. with pictures by Nick Knight, Jason Evans and me...

For the selection of images, did you work by your self or did you do it together with Joerg Koch?
Joerg asked me to do the show in the summer. We both decided it should be on men. Then I thought it should be on british ”lads”. I made the initial selection, but then Joerg, Sandra and I edited down together.

The images shown are made over many years (2001-2011). Did you enjoy putting this exhibition together?

Yes it was good to go through the archives again.

The title of the exhibition Never gonna give you up is also a Stock, Aitken & Waterman song performed by Rick Astley. Is there a relation?
Well sort of... I liked the title with the images, and I like Stock, Aitken & Waterman songs. They are very English and suburban.

All your work seems very consistent in terms of aesthetics and attitude – it´s often a magic meeting between reality and romanticism. Do you have a strong vision of what photography should be and look like?
I think it´s important that I like the person or the place or whatever that I'm photographing. Otherwise I might not get a good picture... I just try and create a world really... it isn't too different from the pictures I started taking when I first got a camera at the age of 13.

You where born in Doncaster, England and in some way I often feel this heritage in your images. How was your youth?
I had a great upbringing. And I use a lot of memories in the pictures I create now. Whether it´s clothes or locations... and particularly in casting. I always took pictures of my friends, and you'd never see these kind of lads in magazines. I always cast people that have a similar look or attitude as my mates from back then...

Was music important to you?
Yes very much. Initially it was music photography, music videos and record sleeves that got me interested in doing photography.

When did you decide you wanted to become a photographer?
When I was doing my GCSE art. 
I did lots of pictures and my teacher, Mrs Owen, thought I had a good eye. I thought it would be a good job to do. Then it sort of progressed from there. 
I always used to take pictures of my mates – the way they dressed was always great and they always had good haircuts. But I never thought that I'd ever make a living out of that. It wasn't until doing my art course, and when I saw David Sims’ and Corinne Day's work in i-D and The Face that I thought that I could actually make a living doing that... or at least show my pictures.

Did you study photography or did you work as an assistant?
I studied photography at Nottingham Trent University but I never worked as an assistant.

Today you work with fashion titles like Vogue, Another Man and i-D and global fashion brands like Vuitton and Armani. Do you make a difference between your personal work and a fashion commission?
In the fashion shoots that I do for magazines I always use a point of reference that has a personal meaning – whether it´s a film, a music video or just a feeling of some sort... With commissions for a big fashion brand you have to understand their point of view too, you have to understand their woman or their man.

When will we see a book with your images?
Very soon! In the summer I hope...

Magnus Naddermier

Alasdair McLellan
Never gonna give you up
until 20 February 2012 at 032c workshop
Brunnenstr. 9, 10119 Berlin, Germany