McVirnEtienne
McVirnEtienne:
What’s in a name?
H
ethinksitwasbecausehismotherhadtobearthe
bruntofextremelabourpainsjustbeforehewas
born – so the payback was his Christian name:
McVirn.“WellI’vegotasistercalledValerieandabrother
calledMervyn–sothere’sgottobesomegoodreasonthat
IendedupwithMcVirn”jokesthe46yearoldLondon-based
photographer–whosefriendsallcallhim‘Mac’.
BigMac(he’salsoakaratebrownbelt)usedtobeacarcleaner
ataVauxhalldealershipnexttoWestHamfootballstadium–but
these days the only thing you’ll find him polishing will be a
cameralensbeforeashoot.
Interestingly,itwasastunning-lookingwomanrunningtopless
alongaSpanishbeachwithanAlsatianintowthatchangedhis
lifeforever.
ExplainsMac:“Itwasbackin1986andIhaddecidedtotakemy
firsteversummerholidayabroad.Iwantedtoshootsomefilm
despitethefactthatIknewverylittleaboutphotographyatthe
time.
AgoodfriendlentmehisCanonAE-1Program,whichatthe
timewasoneofthemostpopularamateurcameraseverbrought
tomarket.Ofcourse,IhadnocluehowtouseitsoIpickedup
acopyofPracticalPhotographymagazineandjustreadandre-
read.
ThenabouttenweeksbeforetheholidayIboughtanadditional
lens,atripod,acamerabag,variousfiltersandacablerelease.
WhenIgottoSpainIjusthappenedtobestrollingalongabeach
when this beautiful woman jogged by with her dog. She was
toplessandassheranpastalargerockinthewaterthewaves
justcrashedrightbehind.Igotagreatpictureandthatwasit.I
madeupmymindrightthereandthenthatIwasgoingtobea
photographer.”
www.bowens.co.uk 17
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