Born in Dorset, Iain Mckell studied at Exeter College of Art before moving to London to photograph subcultures. Involved with i-D from the very start he has also contributed to The Face, The Observer, L’Uomo Vogue and in 1982 he photographed a completely unknown Madonna for the cover of Smash Hits‘ rival, No 1 Magazine. He has since developed his documentation of subcultures; psychedelic- trance jungle parties, the 1940s London swing club ‘Lady Luck’, recently camping and working with Kate Moss amongst neo-gypsies in Somerset.
The first thing I did for i-D was… photograph the issue 1 launch party of the magazine in 1980. I started in the industry via... art college and a lot of passion. Where can we find you at dusk? In my garden in West London… weather permitting! Where can we find you at dawn? At Stonehenge whatever the weather. What fictional creature would you become after dark? A night riding ghost cowboy.
