The Beatles were photographed by Richard Avedon on this day. The shoot took place at a photographic studio in a penthouse in Thompson House, 200 Gray’s Inn Road, London.
The American photographer took a number of shots of the group, four of which were later adorned with psychedelic effects. They were first published in the 9 January 1968 edition of the US magazine Look, and were subsequently sold as posters.
In the UK they first appears in the Daily Express newspaper, in February 1968. Readers were given the chance to buy enlargements of the set, along with a special Beatles poster.
The following image is a colour proof of the photographs, prepared for the edition of Look magazine.
Avedon’s portraits later appeared on the 1977 compilation Love Songs, and on the 2000 hits album 1.
The Beatles visited Thompson House on another occasion. It was the first stop on the 28 July 1968 session which later became known as the Mad Day Out.
There was a third magazine that issued the prints in Germany. Do you have any info about that one?
I’d always thought that these psychedelic photographs of the Beatles, a darkroom process by the famed fashion photographer, Richard Avedon, known as a solarizing process in the darkroom, were included in the White Album with other posters.
Can anyone here answer to my question?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Mark, These photographs were not included in the white album. I recall them being sold as separate posters at a news chain (WH Smith) here in Britain for, I think, £1 each. The individual White Album photographs were taken by John Kelly and the poster / lyrics insert art was by Richard Hamilton. Hope this clears it up for you. – Regards, Neil
Their heads were repositioned and resized for the Love Songs cover.