The Beatles were the biggest band in the world as the end of the sixties approached, but were coming to their Indian Summer by the time of their penultimate album, Abbey Road, when Scottish photographer Macmillan was hired for the shoot, after being introduced to the band by Yoko Ono.
Photographed outside the Beatles’ studio, Macmillan perched on a stepladder in the middle of Abbey Road and took six pictures of the Beatles crossing the street, with a policeman on hand to control traffic. One of those images would become synonymous with the Fab Four and would be seen the world over.
The anonymous location of a crossing in the quiet north London neighbourhood of St. John’s Wood has become a pilgrimage for tourists to this day, highlighting the impact that the photo has had on devoted pop fans for over 50 years.
