[Picture] Making History: The Shot Before The Beatles “Abbey Road” Iconic Cover

[Picture] Making History: The Shot Before The Beatles “Abbey Road” Iconic Cover

Perhaps the most iconic image by The Beatles, the memorable 'Abbey Road'. Unseen by many, here is the shot taken prior to the shot that we all have come to know and love. What is truly amazing about this image is the innocence of the moment. They are oblivious to the importance of the image which is about to be captured. Moments later, the cover of Abbey Road was made and sealed into history.

 

 

The Abbey Road Cover

The image in itself speaks volumes. Can you imagine being an onlooker to that specific moment? I wonder about what is going on in their minds. We'll never know.

As a bonus, here are some additional outtakes from the shoot itself.

 


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22 Comments

Hate to be a stickler but based on direction of the shadow falling in each image, they have already crossed the street and are about to go back the other way to try it again.
BTW, just found your site recently and I come back nearly every day. Keep up the great work!

Lachim Levah avatar

thats true man! maybe it was taken from the same position as the legendary cover picture :)

Bart Chapman avatar

Paul took his shoes off on the last pass by the way!  He is wearing shoes in this photo.

aqps avatar

Paul took his shoes off on the last pass by the way !
But
Paul had his shoes off because... he had passed away ! 

;-))

Fred Rockwood avatar

@robtannenbaum:disqus  I've been there, and that's definitely the "starting" side of the street. (here's a photo I took of my son http://www.flickr.com/photos/freeloosedirt/5287535165/ )

Gilly Ribeiro avatar

This one MUST be on your sidebar as a favourite!!! ;-)
Congrats FStoppers!

Anonymous avatar

Does Paul have slippers on in the first shot?

Anonymous avatar

Impossible for them to be standing on the starting side.  Shadows do not lie.  So this was either after the iconic shot, or before they crossed, to only cross back and take the iconic photo.

what makes you think they didn't cross the street first before "starting"?

tdeddy avatar

THANK YOU SO MUCH,,I LOVE THE BEATLES,,,,GREAT GUYS,,I MEET THEM AT BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL,,WHERE I WORK  IN 1964...THANK YOU MICHAEL

tdeddy avatar

GREAT NPICTURES,,,THANKS   SVEND

Joseph Cotton avatar

There must be, like, ten million photos of the Beatles.  This is just another one.  Even the album cover shot is just another picture of the group.  Or is there some galactic symbolism that I missed?  

annie will avatar

Yes, you're a bell-end. Now go away

Paddy Wack McCormick avatar

every picture is Galactic..  THE BEATLES ARE FAB...Chill out. PEACE and LOVE  ..

Paddy Wack McCormick avatar

Every Picture is Galactic.. THE BEATLES ARE FAB ..Chill out ..PEACE and LOVE.. 

michele Bryan avatar

They actually look like "look-a-likes"...not the actual Beatles.

Ghislain Leduc avatar

Do you know what camera was used for that picture? The professional photographer  Iain Macmillan used an Hasselblad with a 50mm lens. It's being said it was shot at f/22 1/500 wow, it was a bright day! :) 

I can't wait to get my hand on such a camera. I'm definitively not saying that the camera made the shot, it has nothing to do about it.

nycvc avatar

Great pics!  Beatles live on and on and on and on....Thanks for the post!
cvc

jimadvantage avatar

There was an incorrect rumor that the crosswalk has been moved several meters from its original location. I along with others have verified that the claim is false and the crosswalk is exactly where it originally was.

Opie and Anthony (radio show) were talking about this earlier this week. People are there all day every day trying to recreate it. Seems like a really busy street though: http://www.abbeyroad.com/crossing That's a live feed of that street