Friday 11 August 1967 | Photography
The Beatles were photographed by Richard Avedon on 11 August 1967. The shoot took place at a photographic studio in a penthouse at Thompson House, 200 Gray’s Inn Road, London.
Avedon 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 appeared in the Daily Express newspaper in February 1968, with readers given the chance to buy enlargements of the set along with a special Beatles poster.
Avedon’s portraits later appeared on the 1977 compilation Love Songs and on the 2000 hits album 1.
Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon (1923–2004) was one of the most celebrated American photographers of the twentieth century. He was known for his work in fashion photography — particularly for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue — and for his stark, intimate portrait photography. His subjects included Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and many of the defining cultural figures of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
By 1967, Avedon was at the height of his fame. His commission to photograph The Beatles came at a moment when the group were themselves at a creative peak — Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band had been released in June 1967, and the psychedelic treatment applied to Avedon’s portraits perfectly captured the spirit of the Summer of Love.
The psychedelic effects applied to the four portraits were created using colour separation techniques, producing vivid, saturated images that became some of the most iconic visual representations of The Beatles in their later years. Colour separation proofs for the Look magazine edition survive as collector’s items.
The Beatles — officially licensed merch
The Beatles: Sgt Pepper Unisex Long Sleeve T-Shirt (Stone Wash, Silver Grey).
Thompson House and the Mad Day Out
The shoot took place at Thompson House, 200 Gray’s Inn Road — the headquarters of the Daily Mirror newspaper group. The Beatles visited the building on another occasion: it was the first stop on the 28 July 1968 session that later became known as the Mad Day Out, a wide-ranging photographic session across London that produced some of the most celebrated images of the group in their final years together.
Thompson House, 200 Gray’s Inn Road, London — where Richard Avedon photographed The Beatles on 11 August 1967, and the first stop on the Mad Day Out photographic session on 28 July 1968.
The Beatles — officially licensed merch
The Beatles: Sgt Pepper Sherpa Fleece Blanket (Multicolour).
Key Facts
| Date | Friday 11 August 1967 |
| Photographer | Richard Avedon |
| Location | Thompson House, 200 Gray’s Inn Road, London |
| First published | Look magazine (US), 9 January 1968 |
| UK publication | Daily Express, February 1968 |
| Later use | Love Songs (1977); 1 (2000) |
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Richard Avedon photograph The Beatles?
Richard Avedon photographed The Beatles on 11 August 1967 at a photographic studio in a penthouse at Thompson House, 200 Gray's Inn Road, London.
Where were the Avedon portraits first published?
The psychedelic portraits were first published in the 9 January 1968 edition of the US magazine Look. In the UK they appeared in the Daily Express in February 1968.
Which Beatles albums feature the Avedon portraits?
The Avedon portraits appeared on the 1977 compilation Love Songs and on the 2000 hits album 1.
Who was Richard Avedon?
Richard Avedon (1923–2004) was one of America's most celebrated photographers, known for his fashion work for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue and his intimate portrait photography. His subjects included Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and many defining cultural figures of the twentieth century.
What was the Mad Day Out?
The Mad Day Out was a wide-ranging photographic session across London on 28 July 1968, which produced some of the most celebrated images of The Beatles in their final years together. Thompson House, 200 Gray's Inn Road was the first stop on that session.
→ Travel: London to Chicago – 11 August 1966
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