Terry O'Neill (1938-2019)

BRIGITTE BARDOT, SPAIN, 1971. Silver gelatin print, printed later, image size 120 x 94mm, sheet size 152.5 x 102cm, signed by the photographer in ink lower right margin, editioned by the photographer 20/50 lower left margin recto. Framed.

In 2008, Terry O'Neill shared the 'best shot' of his career with The Guardian newspaper: his iconic portrait of French actress Brigitte Bardot, on the set of 'Les Petroleuses', or 'The Legend of the Frenchie King in Spain, in 1971. Famously, he only had one shot left on his roll of film when he captured the image that has defined his career as a master of the candid celebrity portrait.

"The wind was blowing, and she had a cigar as part of a scene. I was surrounded by hundreds of people, and was praying they didn't move or jostle me, as I had this perfect composition. I just wanted the wind to blow once more – and it did. Then everyone started pushing and shoving and I lost the place – but I knew I had that frame. It was a picture in a million." --Terry O'Neill, in an interview with The Guardian, 2008

Literature:

Celebrity: The Photographs of Terry O'Neill. London: Little, Brown, 2003, p. 29
Terry O'Neill: The A-Z of Fame. ACC Woodbridge, 2013, cover