John Lennon on Star Island in Miami Beach, 1964
The time frame was late 1963 into the beginning of 1964, when what was known as “Beatlemania” was at its zenith. For a then 21-year-old Paul McCartney, it was also an opportunity to hone his photography chops by chronicling the experiences shared by him, John, George and Ringo in cities from Liverpool and London to Paris, New York, Washington, D.C and Miami Beach. Fast-forward to 2020, when McCartney presented the nearly 1,000 photos (taken with a 35mm camera) to the National Portrait Gallery in London, which curated the collection that now comprises the exhibition Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-1964: Eyes of the Storm, which is on view through October 1st. A companion book with a forward by McCartney and 275 images, along with his reflections, accompanies the exhibit… as does an early “selfie” of his own, below. 😊
Self-Portrait, 1964
M u s i n g s 