Karl Ferris -

Karl Ferris is known as "the Innovator of Psychedelic Photography". A photographer to the “British Rock Elite” - Eric Clapton, Cream, Donovan, The Hollies and Jimi Hendrix - Ferris was invited as their personal photographer to create their “Images”. He was given an insider access to the “Experience” that defined the 60’s and the world.

As a World War II baby, who grew up in Hastings, England in the 50’s, Ferris learned two things that would later affect his life, the first being the history of Hastings, conquered by the Normans in 1066. This peaked an interest in this medieval period of history and he would bicycle around Norman castles and fantasize about battles, knights, chivalry and heraldry. The second thing he learned was an appreciation of art, having a showing of his early paintings at the Hastings Museum. He later went on to study at Hastings College of Art focusing on the Pre-Raphaelite style of painting which would later influence his psychedelic photography of the 60’s.

After school and with dreams of traveling to India, Ferris signed up as a steward on a P&O liner that went to Australia via India.  After returning to England he served two years with the Royal Air Force for his National Service (Conscription) as an Aerial photographer. During this period he became friends with a fellow conscriptee, who was a member of a Liverpool Mersey Beat group, and he was introduced for the first time to this type of music. He was invited back to Liverpool to see a new group - The Beatles - who were appearing at the Cavern club and was introduced to them. He was then hooked on “Beat” music from which the Beatles took their name.

After his military service, Ferris immigrated to Vancouver, Canada working as an assistant to master photographer Harold Nygard. From him Karl learned the skills of composition, form and texture. He also began an involvement in the “Beatnik” lifestyle and began hanging out in “coffee bars” listening to poetry readings and progressive jazz of such artists as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, John Coletrane and Ornette Coleman. He shot his first music subjects at these gatherings  for local newspapers and magazines. He also began to take fashion shots of girl friends and models, building up a Portfolio. Nygard told him that he had a real talent in this, but should return to London where the Mod Fashion scene was going on.

In 1964 Karl returned to England and the happening Beat scene.  Ferris received commissioned work as a fashion photographer for Teen magazine “19” and later Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, French Mode and Marie Claire. These commissions brought him to such locations as Paris, Cannes, Munich, Ibiza and Morocco. When he wasn’t working he would join into the “Scene”, after meeting up (and eventually dating) Denmark’s Top Superstar model of the time, Karl was introduced to a Pop group called the “ The King Bees” who invited him to sing “Rolling Stones” cover songs with them, so he began touring in and around Copenhagen doing this.

He eventually returned to England for a “shoot” offer with Vogue. The Beatles had just released “ Rubber Soul” and Karl had the chance to meet up with their official photographer, Robert Freeman, who encouraged Ferris to experiment with different styles of images - which he promptly did - in his unique psychedelic style. On a trip to the Spanish island of “Ibiza” he met and began shooting the “Fool” - Simon and Marijke’s Innovative Psychedelic Fashion designs. They were eventually printed in the fashion section of the London times. This was the first time such psychedelic photography and fashions had been seen anywhere. He and the Fool were invited to come to London to shoot some more “Psychedelic” fashion features.

From this Ferris received many commissions. He also began working on “Psychedelic Happening shows” combining projections of colored liquid and photographs over freeform dancers. The likes of Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Eric Clapton, T Rex, Pink Floyd and John Lennon dropped by and began participating, by playing music, with these shows. Ferris was also invited to do a stage light show for Pink Floyd, which is believed to be the first one ever done in England in 1966.

Ferris met with Jimi Hendrix in 1967 through Chas Chandler, who “discovered” Hendrix.  Karl received the compliment of a lifetime when Hendrix remarked to him, on seeing his portfolio, “You‘re doing with photography what I’m doing with music - going far out beyond the limits”.  Hendrix then asked Ferris to be his photographer and to re-shoot the UK version of the album ”Are You Experienced”  for the US market.

Karl began experimenting, and using a giant Nikon fisheye lens and a secret Infrared film that had just been released by the military, who had used it for U2 plane spying. He created the famous photograph used for Jimi’s first US record album cover, which he also designed.  His images appeared on all three US Album covers released during Hendrix’s short life, “Are You Experienced”, “Axis Bold As Love” and “Electric Ladyland”.

Karl also created the Album cover images for Donovan’s “Gift From A Flower To A Garden”, “Wear Your Love Like Heaven”, For The Little Ones” and “Hurdy Gurdy Donovan” and for The Hollies’ “Evolution”. He was also instrumental in creating their “Images” for the shoots, which then became their recognized public image.During the years 1967-69, Karl Ferris was one of the preferred photographers to the British Rock elite, shooting also many PR photos for them.

In 2003 Ferris began his quest to re-visit a time in music that defined a generation with, “The Ferris Experience” Happening. Exhibiting the famous Record Album cover photographs and a Psychedelic multimedia video and slide show, opening in Vancouver, Canada at The Exhibitions Gallery . It was be the first time in 35 years that such an exhibition had been unveiled. In 2005, Karl’s Happening show and photo gallery exhibit began a tour of major cities in the USA starting with the San Francisco Art Exchange (continuing in Toronto and other cities in 2006).

 

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To watch a TV news report on "The Karl Ferris Experience" as shown on YouTube, click here. It runs approx. 17 minutes and includes an interview with Karl with details about his first meetings with The Hollies, Jimi Hendrix, and others.