Curtis Knapp and his Portrait of Madonna

The MadonnaTribe Team had the chance to speak with Curtis Knapp this weekend. We took the chance to ask Curtis a few questions about his new Madonna book which is about to come out.

• MadonnaTribe: Hi Curtis, welcome again on MadonnaTribe.com! This month you are releasing a new book titled “A Portrait of M”,
containing a selection of your Madonna photographs and portraits. How
did you come up with this idea?

Curtis Knapp: For the past twenty seven plus years I have been asked by photography
students, Madonna fans and editors, ‘could we see more?’ File where
here and there and when I returned to the States I could put it all
together again finally. I had never seen an entire book devoted to one
photographic shooting specifically. It came out lovely.

• MadonnaTribe: Fans will have the chance to look at these photographs at their best
quality for the first time, how did you select the photos to be
included on this book, what criteria had you in mind?

Curtis Knapp: I threw darts at a board! I have so many pretty ones of her. It just
fit into this archive. There are a few which will never see the light
of an enlarger.

• MadonnaTribe: Tell us more about this project, is it going to include previously
unreleased or rarely seen picture portraits?

Curtis Knapp: Yes new unseen, although many have been used in PR, books and in
magazines over the years.

• MadonnaTribe: Looking back at this collection of photos, which is the one image
you’re really proud of? in other words your best personal favorite?

Curtis Knapp: In this session?

• MadonnaTribe: Yes

Curtis Knapp: I have to go to page 8 and 9, I call ‘gallery-1’ and
page 45, which is revealing and sweet.

• MadonnaTribe: On the technical side, these amazing photos are from the early 80’s,
did they need some type of restoration?

Curtis Knapp: I scanned, spotted for days and a small bit of touch up / not much. I
go for Straight photography.

• MadonnaTribe: From what we heard this book is going to be presented in a very special
way, a litho will be included and you will be autographing a
certificate of authenticity. Did you already start with the signings?

Curtis Knapp: This archive will be a Folder with a Book, Custom Print w/certificate.
Yes I am signing and sending to Paris this week.

• MadonnaTribe: A last curiosity, during our last chat you mentioned that between
moving here and there many negatives of your Madonna photos had gone
by the wayside and got lost, so is there a Madonna photo you took and
that you don’t have anymore and that you really regret can’t be part
of this book?

Curtis Knapp: I don’t miss any negative at all. What I have I love. Some negs have
been lost by flood, travel, mailing and my big editing in the late
80s. I see one or two images out there on sites which I do not have
the neg any more.

• MadonnaTribe: Thanks for sharing your time with MadonnaTribe Curtis!