Catching Up With Mario Testino

Billed as "The Secret Diary of Mario Testino: What the World's Most Glamorous Photographer Saw," -- The Independent ran an exclusive 3 week journal of the fashion photographer's exploits and travels. While one questions the wisdom of naming a widely published and printed article "SECRET," it's a good read nonetheless. At times Testino seems almost laughably full of himself, thinking that friendly older women on the London tube say hello to him thanks to his fame rather than their good manners, or when he is asked to edit an issue of German Vogue and just shoots the whole thing himself. However, he makes a stunningly excellent point halfway through the diary:

"I'm influenced by so many different things, though. That's good if you're in the fashion business. Because things change so much. You can't say "I like colour" because the day after tomorrow black and white is in and you're out. And I don't want to be out. I need to work. It's my livelihood. So I'm adaptable."

So refreshing that Testino still NEEDS to work, wants to work. Finds himself adapting to what happens around him instead of settling into a rut like so many successful artists. A+.