One of the most respected and widely emulated photographers working today, John Dietrich has been described by Tim Woodward of Skin Two magazine as the   "Master of fetish glamour." Since 1984, when Vogue magazine published his first series of fashion photographs, his work has been published by every major international fashion magazine and commissioned for influential advertising campaigns.   He has been integral part of the Erotica Show since it first began in 1997.   His celebrity portraiture includes Dita Von Teese, Ozzy Osbourne, Bryan Ferry, U2 and many others from world of rock, pop and sport.

Born in the industrial West Midlands of Britain. John Dietrich spent his childhood growing up in an area surrounded by heavy industry and wasteland. It was in these disused open-cast mining areas where he sought seclusion. Estranged from his immediate environment and the humdrum of working class urban life, he sought solace in the escapism of cinema. Influenced by such films as The Third Man and Odd Man Out, both in black and white and directed by Sir Carol Reed. John Dietrich is celebrated for his cinematic images, which have redefined the world of erotic photography with their compelling intimacy, lack of pretension and depth of emotion.

His first book, The Unrepentant, released in 2000, was greeted to critical acclaim.   His long awaited second book is due for release this year.  

Extracts from the Marquis interview.

"What effect did your childhood environment have on you? Tell us a little bit about your early influences, family life, personal tragedies, school, early ambitions - talents i.e music and art? You were in a band, why Art rather than music? Do you think the two can be paralleled?"

"I spent my childhood growing up in an area surrounded by heavy industry and wasteland. It was these disused mining areas where I sought seclusion and remoteness. Alienated from my immediate environment and the humdrum of urban life I sought solace in the distraction of cinema.   Influenced by such films as The Third Man and Odd Man Out, both in black and white and directed by Carol Reed, I fed off these cinematic images and they altered my perception of beauty.

3) How did your interest in photography begin?

"I was interested in the cinema initially but I always thought photography looked a cool thing to do - especially after seeing films like Blow up and being seduced by the Bailey image.   I even found cameras sexy, precision made - enigmatic.   With a camera, I feel a bit like a sniper, it has a solitary freedom that you don't get in film making , unless you are an "Auteur" director.  Similarly, darkroom work was also a solitary profession. working through the night by a kinky little red light listening to the BBC World Service. It always shortened the hours if you had a young big titted assistant.

What was the first camera you had?

My first Camera was a Nikon F3 which got stolen soon after I brought it.   I then went to medium format and worked mainly on a Mamiya RZ67 for the next 20 years.

When and where were you first published? 

I am not absolutely sure but I think it was the cover of profession Photographer magazine around 1983. The first really stunning Vogue cover that inspired me was shot by Paulo Roversi in the 1984 April issue of English Vogue.  At that time, that cover image encompassed everything I wanted to be as a photographer.  I had been experimenting with shooting fashion at night using only neon lighting.  Susan Mann, the art director at the time, decided she wanted to incorporate this into the magazine

Who supported and encouraged your work, do you have any celebrity fans?

Both Carlos Clarke and Terence Donovan were very complimentary about my images. "F**king brilliant" were the words of Terence when he first saw my Die Chauffeurin image in 1992.

I had become disillusioned with commercial work and was finding fetish images more appealing.   Looking back, choosing this path was like committing commercial suicide.   In the politically correct nineties guys like me were out in the cold.    The eighties were all about money and fucking - the things, which for me had the most allure - I still haven't altered my opinion.

Who have you most enjoyed working with?

Bryan Ferry had been a tremendous inspiration for years and I finally met him in 1992 when he asked to see my portfolio and started to do some work for him. I suppose working with Bryan gave me the biggest buzz because I was such a fan of his work - particularly his most romantic and intense songs.

In 1994, he invited me down to the studio he was working in at the time in Kilburn. Bryan and his producer, Robin Trower, were putting the finishing touches to Mamouna.   I was surprised to see that they had decorated the studio with my images in order to create the right atmosphere during the performances.   Juliet, Bryan's long standing assistant, told me he spent long periods of time staring at my images and was inspired by them.

You have photographed the likes of Ozzy Osbourne... but are particularly famous for your images of Dita von Teese - now tell us about this?

I photographed Ozzy around August 1995.   I was contacted by Sharon Osbourne and they came to my studio in Birmingham. Ozzy was easy to work with and exactly the way he is in The Osbournes. We got on great and had much in common.     Ozzy wanted to use one for the cover of the album unfortunately he did not get his way but the images were use to promote Ozmosis tour.

I met Dita in San Francisco in 2000.   She was very shy but exquisite.   She was seeing a friend of mine who ran the Erotica USA Show and I got to know her quite well.   The following year she travelled to Europe to work with me and Christoph Mourthe and I shot her at my studio in Birmingham.   These images have been widely published: Cover of the Skin Two magazine and also in Dita Book the Art of Teese.

Which  photographers inspired/influenced you?

The two biggest influences on my photography were Helmut Newton and Bob Carlos Clarke. Both were intoxicated by the female form and explored themes of sexual obsession but never in an obvious way. Their imagery crossed the boundaries of fashion, fetish and sado-masochism, coupled with great technique.

Music etc that inspires you?

Lark Ascending, written in 1914 by the British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, played on the radio after Princess Diana died.

Lyrics or mental image from poem?

'A Subaltern's Love Song' by John Betjeman and 'Wait for me' by Konstantin Simonov

You began as a fashion photographer - why the switch to fetish glamour/erotic?

Photography was never quite enough for me and fashion even less.   I suppose Fetish-Glamour was more self-indulgent and less boring. I was only ever interested in the eroticising effects of fashion - for example, the boned corset which dominated women's fashion for centuries.