Interesting to watch; also revealing about a greater truth when he says that he fears self-analysis in case it blows away his style and way of doing things. I don't suppose he'd be a great fan of 'critique' either, for that very reason...
There was also an indirect link to the other thread here on the 'three wise men' video, where books get discussed. He was very into books, and suggests, more or less, that in today's world of over-saturation of image-supply, the same values can't be unearthed/recognized as carefully or deeply. It also made sense when he suggested that looking at Weston's work, whether nudes, clouds or old cars, the same picture was really being shot over and over again. Of course; that's personality: you can't shake what you are. If you try, you end up being nobody in particular, just a pretty lost soul.
And it doesn't have to be only in what you produce yourself; it can be as clearly defined in what you appreciate. We used to have a few moments of photo-fun at home: my wife would look at Playboy, which was a regular (until I felt it went a bit porny and I stopped buying it, because I used to have it lying around the house, and was perfectly happy for my two kid to go through it; the moment that I felt I didn't want that anymore, it was time for me, at least to forget it), and when I would come back from the studio or wherever, she'd would say okay, these are the shots you liked best: brother, was she right! All girls, but so much difference in treatment and look. The point being, what you do is also deeply reflected in what you enjoy looking for in others, and that becomes as obvious to other people as what you produce does.
Bailey, in an interview, claims that he never thinks about what he's going to do before a sitting. When the sitter arrives, he chats a while, and then takes it from there, remarking that it isn't Bailey making a picture, it's the sitter making a picture through what s/he reveals or gives the photographer. Can't argue about that.
Strange how photography can be both so shallow and so deep... Thank goodness we have it.
Rob C