in conversation with David Boni
One of the things I enjoy most about writing for Westender is speaking to fascinating people who have chosen to make their lives here in the West End. There is such a mix of people and I love being able to share their stories. I have interviewed designers, artists, chefs, restaurateurs, florists, shop owners, charity founders and small business owners and now it’s the turn of a photographer – David Boni.
WORDS Anne Marie Hillan IMAGES David Boni
David lives and has a studio in the West End, and I was curious to hear his story. You may not know of David Boni. You may think you do not know his work – but you do. You will have seen it. It’s on billboards, bus stops and advertising campaigns all over the UK, all over the world.
When I met him, what struck me straight away was how grounded he is. Very down to earth. No ego, no fuss – yet he is someone who has quietly built an extraordinary career. He has travelled all over the world working on and directing advertising campaigns for major international brands.
Originally from Dalgety Bay in Fife the Italian Boni name will be familiar to some, particularly those with Edinburgh or East Coast connections. Mr Boni’s ice cream vans and ice cream parlours were a well-known name for decades – they were, in fact, an institution in Edinburgh.
East Coast to the World
So, David’s working life started on the East Coast. But not in ice cream or photography. David’s path into photography wasn’t obvious. He started out as a plumber in Rosyth dockyard, encouraged by his dad to have a trade behind him. It was a sensible start, but not something he loved at all. It was not something he wanted to do. His career in photography started at college in Edinburgh, but he knew he needed to move away.
That was his real turning point. He moved to London at just 20 years old. Like so many people trying to get into the industry at that time, he did whatever it took.
He worked constantly, took jobs assisting established photographers, and slept on sofas and studio floors just to be close to the work and the opportunities. And London was full of opportunities. He worked with photographers including Pete Seaward, travelling to places like Singapore and Japan. He worked with Charlie Stebbings, who was behind some of the most recognisable advertising imagery of its time, including the ‘This is not just food it’s M&S food’ campaigns. David was there at the right time and learnt from the best in the industry.
Returning Home
That experience gave him a strong foundation but it still took time to find his own direction. When he was 25 he came back to Scotland to Glasgow, and opened his first studio in Alexandra Parade. He tried a bit of everything, including a small number of weddings, but quickly realised that wasn’t for him. There was a point early on where he nearly gave up. Instead, he decided to give himself another six months and commit to doing things his way. During this time, he focussed on the kind of photography he actually wanted to produce, as against trying to please others. He began developing a black and white style – a friend pointed out that his work now had a distinctive look, and that gave him the confidence to push forward.
From there, David took a very direct approach – physically taking a portfolio of prints, wrapped in brown paper, from business to business and showing people what he could do and it worked.
He later opened The Picture House studio in Ruchill with a 400 guest launch party complete with Mr Boni ice cream and his commercial photography business was a success.
But in the early 2000s, he realised he didn’t want to be a studio photographer and moved to Arran for seven years. He wanted to work on location, he wanted to be a musician and experience island life. He thought it would probably be the end of his commercial work. But it wasn’t. From Arran, he continued working on large campaigns, for brands like Ardbeg Whisky and including one memorable project for Strongbow, where David’s concept was to create a full-sized apple tree in a desert landscape in LA as part of a cider campaign to sell cider in Russia!
Portraiture
Over the years, David has worked on campaigns across advertising, film and digital, collaborating with global brands and creative teams. His role is to take ideas and turn them into something visual.
I remember loving (the below) Scotland’s Railway ads – it turns out these iconic panoramic images are David’s work. After Arran, David moved back to Glasgow, first to Garnethill and then to the West End, where he now lives with his family and has his studio. David continues to work on the large commercial projects but also spends time on portrait photography.
This is something he clearly values. David states his portraits are not about standard poses or formulaic images. They are more considered, more individual – something people can keep. He sees them as a kind of record, or a legacy piece.
He prides himself on making people feel comfortable enough to be themselves, so that what is captured feels real. He has photographed a wide range of people over the years, from well-known names such as Brian Cox, Sean Connery, Lulu, Henrik Larsson and, more recently, Emma Willis and Davina McCall. But he is not a celebrity photographer – he just enjoys taking portraits of people. It isn’t about who the person is it’s about capturing them properly. His portrait of Leong from local takeaway Sushi Riot on Clarence Drive won awards, and no wonder!
West End Boy
David likes to fit in his portrait photography while he is at home with his family, in between on-location photo shoots. But he continues to travel the UK and the world, and has done for over 30 years, but says he loves returning to the West End.
What a career he is having. And I love how it has evolved from Fife to Edinburgh, London, international locations, Glasgow, Arran and then back to Glasgow. His story is exactly the sort I love to tell, especially to young people who we all insist on asking ‘what do you want to do’ at age 15.
You always need to work hard, but also take opportunities and see where they take you. Collaboration has always been important to David – working with others and as part of a team – but also being willing to travel, use his imagination and reinvent himself along the way.
And now, after all his travels, he has chosen to live and work in our West End. How good is that!
To see more of David’s Scottish portrait photography and stunning advertising campaigns, visit –
