A Day in the Life of the Beatles

Published to coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of John Lennon’s death, this previously unpublished collection of poignant photographs is a record of one day with The Beatles—just after Sgt. Pepper was released. In September 1968, critically acclaimed photojournalist Don McCullin was invited to spend a day photographing The Beatles in locations ranging from Paul McCartney’s garden to the banks of the Thames, as well as in their recording studio. The timing of this was, in hindsight, significant. The Beatles had just released Sgt. Pepper, Vietnam was in turmoil, and riots had spread through America’s cities and campuses. It was the moment when the innocence and optimism of the sixties darkened—the instant the youth movement, of which The Beatles were icons, converged with the antiwar protests, the civil rights movement, and the burgeoning counterculture. One of the most poignant photographs taken that day was of John Lennon posing as dead, surrounded by the other three band members. Lennon himself carefully choreographed the image as a pose of protest, but it is now seen as tragic and strangely prophetic. These images of four inspired artists at the pinnacle of success and on the cusp of transformation mark the passing of an era, and in them, we can glimpse our own lost youth.

Don McCullin was an acclaimed war photographer of the late twentieth century. The winner of numerous awards, including two Premier Awards from the World Press Photo, he became the only photojournalist to be made Commander of the British Empire. He is the author of several books and was awarded the 2006 Cornell Capa Award by the International Center for Photography in New York. Paul McCartney gained worldwide fame as a member of The Beatles and is listed in the Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history."