Beatlemania in close-up

I was 16 years old in 1963 and had my eyes set on being a press photographer. Like many other journalists I had begun my media career at the bottom of the ladder as a copy boy at the Yorkshire Evening Post in Leeds –it was the traditional way into the newspaper business in those days. In my spare time I would take my camera out onto the streets and photograph subjects that took my fancy. I would then go home and process my images in a darkroom set up in the attic at my home in Headingley.

Around this time the emerging pop scene had become the centre of attraction for UK teenagers like me. I decide to use this as a subject for my photography exercises. Luckily I had made many contacts in Leeds and Yorkshire, including the managers of the cinemas where the groups were appearing. So, after work, I would put on my suit and tie and roll up at the stage door with my camera.

I first met the Beatles on Wednesday, June 5, 1963 at the Odeon in The Headrow. By now the Beatles were six months into their first UK tour and were already making a name for themselves. Although it was Roy Orbison’s show, most fans had come to see The Beatles. I remember the small dressing room was crowded with reporters and cameramen fighting each other to get near the group. I just stood in the background with my 35mm Nikon camera.

Since starting in the business I have always tried to capture my images as the human eye sees things – that is without using a flash gun. The only light source in the dressing room was a light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Seeing an opportunity I snapped away and took some close ups of the four. I wanted to practice my “available light” skills.

Paul spoke to me and asked who I was working for. I told him I wanted to be a press photographer and he smiled and said “good luck”.

Three months later, they were back at the Odeon and so was I. This time Paul came up to me as soon as he saw me and asked how my photography was coming along. He posed for me and using the same technique as before, the single ceiling bulb as my only light source, I captured three wonderful images of him. Beatlemania had now spread the length and breadth of the country. Down in the auditorium the fans, mainly girls, were hysterical. Standing between them and the stage was a feat even for hardened press men. All the girls were standing on their seats screaming and some were trying to break through the flimsy cordon of security men behind me. I was less than 20 ft from the group and I couldn’t hear a note.

My most memorable moment with The Beatles was during their visit to Huddersfield. I had arrived at the ABC cinema around mid-afternoon with my girlfriend. We were very early as the group did not usually arrive with their police escort until around 6pm. We were sitting alone in the dark auditorium when the stage lights came on and in marched the Fab Four with their Vox amplifiers and guitars. Their latest single I Want to Hold Your Hand had just been released and they wanted to practise before the audience arrived. I think the Huddersfield gig was to be their first live performance of the song which was to become their best selling single ever. We sat there in awe.

This was the best song they had performed to date and they were performing it to us. Afterwards we both met them in the dressing room and Paul, this time, seemed to be more interested in my girlfriend than my photography!

We got some great shots of them. One especially was my favourite. The group were down in the auditorium and I asked them to sit down and put their feet up on the seats in front of them – they loved the idea and true to form they did as I asked.

Paul was the most talkative and would always speak to the reporters. I think he saw the value of the Press being behind the group, though by now they were well on their way to stardom. John was the witty one who always tried to crack a joke no matter what question he was asked and Ringo would follow him with a further amusing remark. For the reporters it was difficult to get a straight answer from them. George was the quiet one in the background.

A year after I first met the group, I became an official Press photographer and my Beatles negatives were put away in a cardboard box along with similar pictures of other new groups like the Rolling Stones, The Searchers and The Hollies. I continued as a photographer for a few years before starting a new career in television. For the next 44 years I made documentary programmes for British and foreign channels. In early 2010 I decided to return to stills photography.

Searching the attic in our cottage in North Yorkshire I came across a dusty box containing around 700 negatives. Among them were the Beatles negs. To my amazement I found around 40 of them in pristine condition. I scanned them into the computer and couldn’t believe my eyes. They were terrific black and white images.

Jerry Goldman, CEO of The Beatles Story came over from Liverpool to look at them. He too was amazed at the quality and said they were the best collection of images of the group at that time in their career that he had seen. He asked me to produce a complete set for a permanent display at their Pier Head site in Liverpool. I was delighted. The Beatles Hidden Gallery was born.

Since then, I have produced another limited edition collection which has been seen in London, New York, San Francisco, Memphis and in Harvey Nichols in Dubai. However, the high-end framed photographs have never been seen where they were originally photographed – Yorkshire.

So to mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles first release, Love Me Do, they will be on show at the Wensleydale Galleries in Leyburn North Yorkshire from October 21 until November 18.

Paul Berriff’s Beatles photographs are also available for sale as limited editions. For more details visit www.wensleydalegalleries.co.uk or www.paulberriffproductions.com