Rick Springfield’s longtime photographer is set to release ‘Burning Film: Rick Springfield Through the Lens’

With social media, almost anyone can say that they are a “music photographer” these days, as they can take photos from the crowd with their high-quality cell phones and post content in real time. Yet, few have inside access to an artist, capable of capturing those most intimate moments when the artist is not on stage. One of these talented few is Jay Gilbert, longtime friend and photographer to pop legend Rick Springfield.

Over the past 20 years, Gilbert has snapped thousands and thousands of pictures of Rick Springfield, from recording in the studio to performing in concert. Gilbert has really seen it all, and he will release what he has captured through his first coffee table book, Burning Film: Rick Springfield Through the Lens. The book will contain images taken from 2005-2025, giving fans a comprehensive look at Springfield’s musicianship and Gilbert’s artistry through the lens. Fans will only be able to obtain the book by ordering the deluxe edition of Rick Springfield’s Big Hits: Greatest Hits, Volume 2, out February 14, 2025.

On this new album, fans will be treated to hits found on albums like 1999’s Karma up to 2023’s Automatic. There will also be unreleased tracks, “rare” versions of tracks, and the new single “Lose Myself,” released this year. Overall, this compilation is a way of giving back to the fans, with Springfield mentioning that it is “more of a fan favorite songs album.” He also shared that the albums that he has made in the past 20 years “are the best work I’ve done musically,” so there is no better way to honor the music than to release such an immersive project.

Telling us more about the book, Gilbert explains,

“I had so much fun going back through the archives of over 60,000 photos I’ve shot of Rick in the studio, in concert and on location, to present the 200 or so images for the book. They align perfectly with the music on his upcoming ‘Big Hits – Rick Springfield’s Greatest Hits, Volume 2.’”

Springfield also adds,

“This is a collection of shots taken by my good friend and permanent-owner-of-an-RSpress-pass, Jay Gilbert. Jay has taken pretty much all the photos you’ve seen of moi in the last 20 years, and these are quite a few of them.”

Burning Film: Rick Springfield Through the Lens will only by available as part of the deluxe edition of Rick Springfield’s Big Hits: Greatest Hits, Volume 2, which is due out February 14, 2025. You can pre-order it here.

For more of Jay Gilbert’s work, you can visit his website here.