Throughout his career, Terry O’Neill worked with 35mm cameras. These were great for getting close to celebrities and musicians in an informal way. When he started out in Fleet Street he used a Canon 7 rangefinder camera with a fast f/0.95 lens. Many of his famous portraits used medium format Hasselblad cameras.
He also took black and white images, but liked to work with black and white. He wasn’t always using a Kodak Tri-X 400 film, it varied depending on the project. What makes his work stand out is his ability to capture moments within the photos and adapt his work to fit different situations.
Why They Performed Better Than Large Studio Cameras.
Using a 35mm camera in the 1960s gave O’Neill the advantage of being able to work quickly and get close to his subjects. The small size made it easier for him to move around musicians and actors to capture moments that may have been missed. His early photographs of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones helped build his reputation of being able to capture people candidly.
O’Neill believed that to be a good photographer you should become part of the scene. As he had access to performers behind the scenes he could take them in environments which weren’t just for publicity. This was down to his skill with timing, keeping quiet and building relationships.
The Kodak Tri-X Look
Black and white was a big part of O’Neill’s career and he was very open about preferring to work with black and white. However, it would be incorrect to assume that all of his work used the same film or any particular developing process.
O’Neill also took colour images throughout the 1960s and later decades for magazine projects. Whether he chose black and white or colour depended on what the project required and the image he wanted to create. If he was pushing his Kodak Tri-X to ISO 800 or 1600 it would depend on the project. Collectors and photography enthusiasts should look at specific archives.
His style is evident within his work. Whether he was taking a photo of a musician on tour or a film star on set he tried to tell a story rather than focussing on the equipment.
Darkroom Skills & Printing.
There are many factors that can influence how a photograph looks when using film. O’Neill reflected on his career and mentioned how he had a lot of experience with darkrooms. Despite digital becoming more common he preferred to work with film.
Today there are various types of prints available for collectors. This can include vintage prints and estate editions. You cannot assume they will have been printed the same way. For example, the National Portrait Gallery Shop lists Elton John, 1977 as a gelatin silver print.
A gelatin silver print is a printing technique and does not indicate what film was used. Just because a print has been made from a negative doesn’t mean it will be the same as a vintage print. It is best to look at the details of each edition.