Paul McCartney by Eric Meola
Details of a limited edition photograph available for the first time.
What is it like to photograph a Beatle? In 1976 Eric Meola had the opportunity to do just that. Here’s how he remembers it:
“You’ve got five minutes!” I don’t remember who uttered those words, but that was the good news. The bad news was the reference was to me, AND a writer. So we each had half of five minutes to photograph and interview Paul McCartney for a Time magazine cover. Such were the glory days when you got a call, and rushed into a subway to get up to the Time-Life building and huddle with picture editor John Durniak, and editor-in-chief Henry Grunwald.
McCartney had a hit album that reached number one on Billboard’s “Top LPs,” and his band, Wings, was on a worldwide tour. It didn’t occur to me that almost ten years earlier I was at Syracuse University, listening to “Sergeant Pepper,” in the maelstrom of the 60s; I just remember setting up a white paper background in a room at the Pierre Hotel in New York, while the writer fidgeted with his notes, and I tried not to heave. That was the adrenalin of those days — photograph a Beatle one day, and something boring the next, but always, always, you had to deliver.
I chose the guaranteed approach when time was not an option — keep it simple, leave room for type, cover the assignment, and then, if you had thirty seconds, shoot for yourself. When our appointed time came, McCartney sat down and the writer began talking, and everything became a blur. I remember my assistant, Rich, looking at his watch at the two minute mark as the writer ate up half a minute of my time. Suddenly Rich began deliberately popping the strobes, and that ended the interview. As I glanced at the exasperated writer, I heard McCartney say “I’ve got a few more seconds,” and that was my signal to go for broke. I killed the background lights and had Rich handhold a strobe high over McCartney’s head, then told him to drop the power low, and use a piece of paper to cast a bowl of light on the lad from Liverpool’s face. I think we got to shoot a Polaroid, but maybe not. I managed to get half a dozen shots when I heard that familiar voice say thanks, and something like “hope you got what you needed.” Then, with that “Ob-la-di, ob-la-da” grin, he was gone.
I never got to ask him if he was the Walrus, and the cover was killed because war broke out in Lebanon.”
I had no idea this photograph existed until Eric showed it to me yesterday. I loved it. Completely coincidentally, I had been thinking about Paul McCartney as I had just ordered Volume 2 of The McCartney Legacy (covering 1974-80) by Allan Kozinn and Adrain Sinclair, and earlier in the day I had been reading about the new £5 coin that the Royal Mint were issuing in the UK in Paul’s honour. The timing felt right—so we are putting it out there without delay.
This limited edition photograph comes in a choice of black & white and colour versions, and each is available in a choice of three physical size options. Photographs are made to order by Eric Meola and signed and numbered by him on the front under the image area.
For this week only, we are offering discounted launch prices on this photograph as follows
8×12 inch image: edition of 25, usual price GBP 800, launch price GBP 595
12×18 inch image: edition of 15, usual price GBP 1,600, launch price GBP 1,200
20×30 inch image: edition of 10: usual price GBP 3,200, launch price GBP 2,400
These prices will apply to orders placed by midnight UK time on Sunday 15 December 2024.
Click on the button below to order one for your collection, with free shipping worldwide on all sizes.
