Terry O’Neill CBE was one of the world’s most collected photographers with work hanging in national art galleries and private collections worldwide. From presidents to pop stars he photographed the frontline of fame for over six decades.
O’Neill began his career at the birth of the 1960s. While other photographers concentrated on earthquakes, wars and politics, O’Neill realised that youth culture was a breaking news story on a global scale and began chronicling the emerging faces of film, fashion and music who would go on to define the Swinging Sixties. By 1965 he was being commissioned by the biggest magazines and newspapers in the world.
No other photographer has embraced the span of fame, capturing the icons of our age from Winston Churchill to Nelson Mandela, from Frank Sinatra and Elvis to Amy Winehouse, from Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot to Nicole Kidman, as well as every James Bond from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig.
He photographed The Beatles and The Rolling Stones when they were still struggling young bands in 1963, pioneered backstage reportage photography with David Bowie, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Chuck Berry and his images have adorned historic rock albums, movie posters and international magazine covers.
There is currently a digital exhibition of his work here on this link; https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/5276104/the-best-of-terry-oneill?mccid=5906674b5c&mceid=71df479659
Terry O'Neill sadly passed away in November 2019.
This interview was recorded for the Opening of the "All About Bond" exhibition" at the Proud Gallery in Chelsea, London, UK.
Extract taken from "Every Picture Tells a Story" by Terry O'Neill.
“My career, in many ways, started with The Beatles. They were young, I was young, and the world was young. You have to remember that back in the early 1960s, we didn’t have to automatically enlist in the National Service. So a whole new generation of kids suddenly had their worlds open up for them. And in London, the town was filled with musicians, artists, models, filmmakers, writers—you name it. I was lucky to be there.
“As the ’60s wound down, The Beatles decided to go their separate ways. As solo artists, all of them went on to achieve remarkable things in so many different directions.”
By the mid-1960s, George Harrison had become interested in Indian culture and travelled to India several times. Under the guidance of Ravi Shankar and other gurus, he studied meditation and yoga, became vegetarian, and embraced the Hare Krishna tradition.
“I went to George’s house in Henley-on-Thames, this incredible estate he’d bought in 1970. He had everything there, including a full studio that was reportedly better than Abbey Road (in terms of equipment).
“He took me on a walk through some of the gardens. It was like a wonderland, complete with caves, gardens, grottoes and streams of water. There was this one little patch of water with a small deck that had the most perfect view of the house in the background. So he sat down, as Zen as anything, draped in this off-orange Hare Krishna wrap. He just looked completely at peace. When I looked up and saw the outline of this magical-looking house behind him I knew that this was going to be a stunner of a portrait.