Magic is not what it once was. The David Copperfields, David Blaine or even Harry Houdini are far gone and fail to impress much in the modern world. There is still a nostalgic demand for this type of magic but todays tricksters of the mind seems somehow more advanced. It’s as if the current magicians have, as if by magic, removed themselves from the title of a magician and blended into a magicianal-illusionist-mentalist-trickster-hypnotist. Well, at least that is the case for one of today’s most respected MIMTHs (a catchy abbreviation I just made up) - Derren Brown. Oh - and he’s a painter and photographer too. I find Derren’s work intriguing. The MIMTH he does is of such a scale that it is incomprehensible and it makes you inquisitive. It’s not just a trick but a full act with a thread from the beginning to the end of a 1 to 2 hour long show.
So I was slightly nervous when I turned up on the shoot. I mean, if Derren wanted the shoot to move in a different direction then he would surely be able to do so. I would have to stare deep into his eyes (through a lens at least). The chance that I would walk away with all blank frames could easily have happened. I suppose he would only need to look into the lens for more than 10 seconds and I would be deep in some trance and in the palm of his hands. Maybe I was? What did actually happen on this shoot? Does anyone really know apart from Derren? I think I was there anyway and I think I took the images so I will remain the copyright owner… for now.
