I have no interest in being famous. I just want to make famous photographs.

I shoot fantasy. If you want reality, ride the bus

My pictures are about getting as far away from reality as possible. Dreams should be part of our everyday life.

If you want reality take the bus.

People say photographs don't lie, mine do.

I think we're in a post-pornographic time and nothing seems shocking, but everything remains carnal no matter what you do.

Prostitutes go to heaven. It's their clients that go to hell.

I wanted it to provide an escape route, I wanted to make pictures that were fantastic and took you into another world, one that was brighter. I started off with this idea.

I'm a photographer, period. I love photography, the immediacy of it. I like the craft, the idea of saying 'I'm a photographer.'

I didn’t see any difference between being a photographer or being an artist. I didn’t make those boundaries. If someone wants to think it’s art, that’s great, but I’ll let history decide.

As an artist you have a choice. You can add more confusion and darkness to the world or you can shine a light, make a beauty.

I didn’t know what

The professional must learn to be moved and touched emotionally, yet at the same time stand back objectively: I've seen a lot of damage done by tea and sympathy.

One thing that you hope for when you want to be a musician is that you have that recognizable sound.

My first really good guitar was a Gibson J-45.

Know that in this world there's somebody who will always love you.

I stared at him, unable to believe this was happening. That he could just disappear, along with everything rich and strange he’d brought into my life. Vanished, like magic.

People like us we gotta stick together Keep your head up nothing lasts forever.

I thought poems were songs for people with bad voices.

My favourite tea is lapsang souchong.

A political man is disgusting, but a political wife, horrible.