OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS
Celebrity Magazine - in our fantastic fifteenth year Celebrity commenced publishing in 2003, and since then we have maintained publishing as a regular residents magazine of which up to six thousand copies per issue are distributed (using local/island wide demographics) throughout Mallorca, to Golf Clubs, Marinas and most upmarket venues for residents, plus what we would personally describe as the boating, golfing and yachting fraternity. Celebrity is proud of its ‘own in house’ articles and features and has presented nearly every star, personality and royalty that have visited Spain/Mallorca and has a loyal and prestigious reputation amongst its readers and those who have given interviews and posed for our photographs. Celebrity has become the social scene ‘’bible’ for the residents, golfing and boating fraternity - with its readers and advertisers being evenly split between English, Spanish, Scandinavian and German - and more recently becoming a must-have publication by the ever increasing number of Russian visitors (from both their motherland and Europe). We are a high gloss colour (large format size 32cm x 23 cm) magazine which has had its editorials reproduced by worldwide publication groups (such as Hello Magazine). Our own interviews and photographs have been syndicated throughout the world, with our own exclusive photography (by appointment) featuring many of the worlds most renowned stars and Spanish Royals
We are now in our fifteenth year, here at Celebrity Magazine. Over the next few pages we take a moment to reminisce through some of our own exclusively taken favourite photographs of stars of the silver screen, top world sports people, Royals, politicians and celebrities.
Continued overleaf -
OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS
The most frequent asked question, how did Celebrity start? Well, it was an idea, a concept! Whilst supplying photographs and articles to the daily newspapers showing the more glamorous aspects of life, and already dipping our toes into local showbusiness features, we still somehow felt held-back. We wanted to branch out more, to cover even more local events and work alongside the visiting celebrities. At this time it was of little interest to the newspapers, not a direction they were going in although they are now copying our style and techniques daily! Consequently we set forth to produce our own publication and naming our magazine, after the Publicity Agency which we had successfully started two years earlier - Celebrity. The magazine was an instant success, from the very start. For our very first issue we personally photographed top visiting stars of television and the silver screen. Celebrity Magazine, although already breaking all expectations in popularity, was still yet to be given the ultimate accolade. After only two issues, His Royal Majesty, King Juan Carlos of Spain, singled out Angela and myself to take a private photograph.
OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS OUR AMAZING FIFTEEN YEARS
Whilst being followed by a film crew for one the top BBC summer television programmes, in front of a huge crowd of spectators and in front of the world’s press and television crews at the Royal Brietling Regatta, His Majesty King Juan Carlos (competing in the regatta) came over to the attending press group of sixty and held out his hand to Angela and myself. We couldn’t believe it, neither could the worlds press who stood aghast around us, nor could the crowds of spectators watching. He mentioned he knew of Angela’s and my latest venture, Celebrity Magazine, and wished us luck. He then proceeded to walk back to his friends who were waiting next to his yacht ‘Bribon’ moored at the quayside, suddenly he stopped half way, looked back at Angela and myself and beckoned us to follow. The armed Royal Protection Officers instantly made a corridor through the crowds from the press area and led us to the Kings yacht. King Juan Carlos stood smiling amongst his sailing friends and companions and unbelievably he suggested we take an exclusive photograph for our Celebrity Magazine, laughingly pointing his finger at us and saying it had to be on the front cover. This has to have been one of the greatest accolades for Celebrity, a Royal Seal of Approval – a continuing bond which has remained until this day - a bond which we have respected and honoured throughout all of these years of social occasions and meetings.
During these fifteen years we have been fortunate to work with some of the worlds most famous stars of the silver screen, we have also worked with many respected politicians, top sports stars and the industries greatest pop and rock idols. Every photograph we have taken has been with the cooperation of the subject, never have we joined the paparazzi groups! This never more demonstrated than with James Hewitt (former boyfriend of Lady Diana) who when we approached and were given a refusal, we simply walked away – only to be later called back and then granted permission to photograph him exclusively. This trust was rewarded even more when a few months later we were offered an exclusive interview with James, who talked of his life and his association with Lady Di – a huge scoop for Celebrity and a testament to our respect of other people’s privacy and our own integrity. Other exclusives, were from stars such as Boris Becker and the World Champion Boxers Nigel Benn and Frank Bruno, who together posed for a unique picture for our camera. Photographs of television presenter, an irate Jeremy Clarkson with the controversial glamour model Madison Welch and his Top Gear team was another scoop we achieved.
Our unforgettable photography of the white horses of Albufera Natural Park was an indulgence we could not let go without publishing. Spending a very long and tiring two days silently following the horses in their most natural habitat and relaxed state, we patiently waited and finally captured this truly unique and most beautiful picture. Just as unique, although not possibly beautiful in the same way was our coverage of our old pal Rod Stewart on stage. On his European Tour we had VIP access to enable us to take some amazing pictures. We were introduced to his lovely wife, Penny Lancaster (interview and photographs) and all this made another superb exclusive show-biz feature. At the Governor Hotel, Park Lane, London, we were guests of Jess Conrad for his celebration award dinner hosted by the Variety Club of Great Britain – ‘A Celebration of Jess’s100 Years in Show-Business’ was the joking title. Here we sat next to Angela’s long-term friend actress Vicki Michelle, photographing Jess amongst his two hundred guests, including many stars from televisions ‘Coronation Street’. We also featured the new Playboy Club in Park Lane, the previous star-studded club (and the Bunny Mansion in Tring, Herts) run by the well-liked and respected Victor Lownes had been a particularly popular social and work haunt of ours.
So accepted has Celebrity become that we now receive invitations worldwide. Moscow was the subject of several of our amazing and intriguing trips – invited by the Kremlin and certainly in our case, the capital lived up to its sinister and somewhat intimidating atmosphere (two amazing seven page features). Contrast that against the delightful time we spent in Miami Beach, an invitation from the Mayor, where everything was sun-kissed and a totally beautiful experience – both these were amazing Celebrity feature articles – both for separate reasons. In the West-End we worked with the beautiful actress Claire Sweeney and the American super-star Patrick Swayze who were both appearing together on stage at the Piccadilly Theatre in the Stage production of ‘Guys and Dolls’. We were Lavishly entertained with Champagne in the Queens Royal Reception Room during the interval and then taken to the Caprice Restaurant after the show – this was a truly amazing evening for us with our wonderful friend Claire Sweeney and Patrick, a true legend of the silver screen. We were invited to dinner and an exclusive (and very rare) interview with mega pop idol Sir Cliff Richard, another interview and photographic opportunity conceded purely because of the trust we have conveyed throughout our careers. We alone were invited as guests to photograph the Paris shows of ‘Moulin Rouge’ and the ‘Lido de Paris’, two amazing and hugely colourful features for Celebrity.
Our photograph of Paris Hilton at the St Regis Hotel was one of several exclusive pictures from our five-page feature, all taken with the technique used from the ‘old school’ of photography. Whilst waiting for her to appear the assembled group of press pushed and shoved unceremoniously amongst themselves. We quietly withdrew from the scrum, walked into the hotel and found Paris on the terrace having coffee, We simply introduced ourselves and to our delight, a few exclusive photographs were agreed upon there and then. We also arranged that as she walked down the steps to meet the waiting press, she would stop halfway, turn and look back at our camera – a totally unique photograph - and a very jealous (and not happy) press pack – job done! Being guests on the Sun Newspapers photographic shoot with it’s models for their Calendar, meeting and working with the team from the top television programme ‘The Only Way is Essex’ or photographing Elton John and the many, many stars from all our best loved television shows – all this would be a typical day at Celebrity Magazine. Throughout these the years we have successfully combined professionalism with creativity and yet never forgetting to hold in high regard the people who become our subjects, whether stars or celebrities or our readers – your private parties, celebrations and charity events – to ourselves, all equally important, all treated equally with the greatest respect.
Ken & Angela Ross
All photographs taken exclusively by Celebrity Magazine
