Rankin, who has snapped high-profile figures such as Madonna, David Bowie and Queen Elizabeth II, even posed for a photograph in front of his picture of a dirty sock.
His visit to the university was part of the Photography Visiting Speaker Programme, Talking Pictures, which is open to all BA and MA photography students.
Rankin, full name John Rankin Waddell, generously waived his fee for the session.
In conversation with the university’s Professor Francis Hodgson, the photographer discussed his career, starting from his brief stint studying accounting at ͯÑÕÊÓƵ Polytechnic, through to his creation of Dazed and Confused magazine and his many projects thereafter.
Rankin also talked about the progression from analogue photography, the format in which his early work was produced, to the digital era.
Rachel K Gillies, Senior Lecturer in Photography at the university, took the photograph of Rankin with his sock picture.