In Photos: A Fashion Photographer Captured the Beatles

Norman Parkinson was invited to photograph the Beatles by Jeremy Banks, an associate editor at Queen magazine, the principal outlet for Parkinson’s fashion photography after he had jumped ship from Vogue in 1959.

The Beatles: London, 1963 by Norman Parkinson is published by ACC Art Books

Parkinson’s carte blanche to photograph the Beatles at work over several hours in the studio was unprecedented, and only a select few photographers would ever again enjoy such extraordinary access to the band in Abbey Road.

In September 1963, the Beatles were days away from scoring their second No 1 with She Loves You, with advance orders topping 500,000 copies.