A retrospective selection made by Diego Alonso for Mondo Galeria shows the variety of the works by a photographer who, from the 60s until today, has photographed the faces of young music talents and major Hollywood stars, models and star-system characters.
Terry O´Neill´s career began in the 1960s after a sheer stroke of luck. His plan was to travel to the US to become a musician, but he happened to take a picture of the British Foreign Secretary asleep at the airport in London. A newspaper bought the picture and his career took a complete turn over.
His personal style has been defined by two factors: the use of a 35 mm camera, which is much lighter and easier to handle than most modern devices, and the amount of time he would spend with his targets, who he would practically shadow for days. The outcome was a natural, direct and casual style that remained throughout his career.
From The Beatles to Kate Moss
O’Neill was also a pioneer in portraying music bands. He was the first to photograph the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and to publish that material in press. So, he remember, that the first published image of the four from Liverpool was made by him in 1963, in the court yard of the mythical Abbey Road Studio. It was the first time he portrayed a pop band, and also the first time an image of a pop band was published on the cover of a newspaper. That news paper was sold out.
Living in the 60’s in London allowed him to witness how this city became the world capital of youth culture and fashion. His meetings with the Rolling Stones, with models like Jean Shrimpton or Mary Quant, with actors like Michael Caine or Julie Christie, his close friendship with Ringo Starr, are only the beginning of a career full of anecdotes.
He has been able to photograph all the supermodels, from Shrimpton to Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss. There are also beautiful actresses like Ava Gardner, Raquel Welch or Goldie Hawn. Among all the female legends, he distinguishes Audrey Hepburn: “she is the most distinguished star that I have photographed, perfect and beautiful, it was impossible to take a bad picture of her! There is no new Audrey, nor there will be.”
Spontaneity
Witness of unique moments, he portrayed Marlene Dietrich in her last concert in Europe, and also Romy Schneider just two months before her death. O’Neill confirms in an interview, that the best thing that happened to him in his life was to photograph Frank Sinatra for thirty years. He allowed the photographer to accompany him everywhere, ignoring his presence: “this is the best thing you can do to a photographer. I could go wherever he was, whenever I wanted, and take the photos I liked. It works wonderfully that spontaneity.” However, despite all the years they shared, they never became friends. His role was that of an observer because according to him respect and distance are essential for this work.
Another important figure in his career was Elton John, whom he portrayed over four decades. So much so, that the artistic takeoff of the singer was thanks to O’Neill. His past as a musician and his early relationship with the Beatles and Rolling Stones earned him the reputation of a discoverer of new talent. After he heard the songs “Take me to the pilot” and “7-11-70” he liked the music so much that he wanted to photograph him. Vogue magazine published that image and he started from there.
But besides characters from the world of music and beautiful women, there have been many male legends that have gone through O’Neill’s lens: Steve McQueen, Al Pacino, Robert Redford and Paul Newman among many others.
He has been the only photographer to have portrayed all the actors who have played James Bond, among whom Sean Connery stands out as “the most masculine man I’ve ever portrayed.”
According to O’Neill, the three fundamental rules for a great photographer are: being invisible, having patience and knowing how to combine discretion with public relations. This has earned him an undeniable success getting spontaneous and close-up images. At present he exceptionally accepts projects. For example he did the last official portraits of Nelson Mandela, in 2008, or the official photo for the world football Cup in Brazil, 2014, where Pelé appeared with the World Cup.
Horacio Basilicus
Terry O’Neill, Legendary
January 12 to February 14, 2017
Mondo Galeria
Calle San Lucas, 9
28004 Madrid
Spain
