E Y E W I T N E S S
“to say my job
involves working with some unusual
characters is the understatement of the century. Imagine
your maddest, favourite uncle. That’s what most of the
people are like – wonderfully strange.
“When I first started shooting for the Guinness World
Records, I was given a clear brief: to produce dramatically
real, advertising-style shots. They wanted me to get
to know the record breaker before coming up with a
concept that theatrically emphasised their skill – but never
manipulated what they were doing. Though I enhance the
colour or hue of a picture, I never change anything factual.
“Even after six years of photographing record breakers,
I still never fail to be amazed by what people come up with
next. The Great Nippulini, for instance, who can hang the
most amount of weights from his nipples, or Professor
Splash, the world record holder for highest shallow-water
dive (11.5m into a paddling pool). You just need to find a
niche and then make sure you do it better than anyone
else. Like the lady who can run the fastest 100m in high
heels or the world’s fastest ketchup drinker.
“The power of the Guinness World Records is quite
remarkable. People see it as such a worthy cause and
will spend their lives trying to achieve one. It also means
everyone is really enthusiastic to help me. That’s the best
thing about my job – I get to access the lives of people I‘d
never have met otherwise, in rural spots across the world
I often didn’t even know existed. I’ll never tire of it.”
The new Guinness World Records 2014 book is out now,
priced £20. Visit
guinnessworldrecords.com
Winning smiles
Guinness World Records book photographer
Richard Bradbury
talks about what
it’s like to shoot the world’s best portraits
0 1 7
AS TOLD TO
VICKY LANE
02
06
To see how we fared in
our own record attempt
turn to page 55
R E G U L A R S
