Harry Benson Biography

One of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th century, Harry Benson made his name when he photographed The Beatles in a pillow fight in 1964.

Harry Benson began taking photos as a teenager in Glasgow. His introduction into photojournalism came by way of working for The Daily Express from 1958 to 1964.

On-the-spot and aggressive, Benson was tagged to accompany The Beatles on their first American tour. Behind the scenes, he captured a frivolous moment that conveyed the charm and intimacy of the world’s most famous band.

Over the decades, as an employee of LIFE magazine and a freelancer to such periodicals as Vanity Fair, Time, Newsweek, Architectural Digest and Paris Match, Harry Benson captured pop culture moments with an immediacy that set him apart from others in his trade.

Benson was there when Robert F. Kennedy was killed; he was with Coretta Scott King at the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr.; he was there when Richard Nixon resigned the presidency; he captured Ronald and Nancy Reagan dancing spiritedly in the midst of political turbulence; he caught Willie Nelson taking a bubble bath.

Winner of numerous awards, Harry Benson was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2009.