Early Life
Dean Chakley's first years were spent on a farm in Essex where his parents were Labourers. At the age of seven the family moved to Southend-on-Sea where he eventually attended Fairfax High School for boys, in Westcliff-on-Sea.
It was the 1980s, the time of the mod revival. He describes himself as having been “...a hardened mod, totally into scooters, dressing flamboyantly, in cravats and so on.”
Towards the late 1980s Acid House coincided with his discovery of photography, although initially after leaving school his interest had been in Fashion, especially the type influenced by music. He trained for and became a bespoke trouser maker for a couple of years but on realising the debt involved in setting up shop, he decided to become a Civil Servant and remained working as one for seven years.
During this time, the Civil Service sent him on an A-Level course in Photography, since it was applicable to his work there. This in turn led to a Photography degree at Blackpool and The Fylde College, during which he started shooting for Dazed & Confused magazine.
On completing his degree course he moved to London and assisted two notable photographers, Malcolm Venville and afterwards Seamus Ryan, whom he assisted full-time for a period of about 9 months.
Read more about this topic: Dean Chalkley
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or life:
“Early education can only promise to help make the third and fourth and fifth years of life good ones. It cannot insure without fail that any tomorrow will be successful. Nothing “fixes” a child for life, no matter what happens next. But exciting, pleasing early experiences are seldom sloughed off. They go with the child, on into first grade, on into the child’s long life ahead.”
—James L. Hymes, Jr. (20th century)
“From too much love of living,
From hope and fear set free,
We thank with brief thanksgiving
Whatever gods may be
That no life lives for ever;
That dead men rise up never;
That even the weariest river
Winds somewhere safe to sea.”
—A.C. (Algernon Charles)