I can barely remember when this was taken, one of those glam parties at Annabel’s in the late 1980s, when men had to wear black tie and women had to look absolutely scrumptious to get in. That period was a bit of a blur and Annabel’s was just a vortex.
There were a lot of gorgeous women about back then, but for me Jerry Hall sums up the whole decade. I shot her a few times over the years and always found her very warm, very kind, and a lot of fun. She’s giving that smile she can just turn on, while the other woman is It girl and socialite Francesca von Thyssen [now von Habsburg].
From 1973 to 1980, I worked outside Annabel’s, the London club on Berkeley Square. Everyone went there back then: Elizabeth Taylor, Jack Nicholson, Joan Collins, even Princess Diana. I would stand with Nando the doorman, a great guy with this big moustache, and wait for people to leave. Nando and I used to keep each other company, though he never told me who was in there. He was discreet like that.
My nights started at 10.30pm and finished at 2am. I was young enough to handle the hours. I didn’t get inside until the 1980s: it was a big moment and you had to earn your stripes. Once the celebrities got to know you, they realised you weren’t such a bad old fruit. You just had to put your best suit on, smile and blend in. It wasn’t that difficult to approach people. They knew I’d be there and they would be friendly.
My big break came in 1975. Liz Taylor was throwing a 50th birthday party for Richard Burton, whom she had just remarried. It was at the Dorchester and I was sent by the Evening Standard to get a picture. Every photographer had been turned away but I hid behind an assistant and slid in through some glass doors.
The room was empty except for the DJ. I told him who I was, he handed me some records and showed me how the DJ booth worked, so I could pass unnoticed. Suddenly the room filled up with Richard’s friends, who had all come from Wales. Then the cake got rolled in. I got some pictures of the pair of them blowing out candles and I suppose I got confident, because I followed them to the dancefloor.
I never asked if I could take some pictures, I just shot them. Liz turned to me and, in this soft tone, said: “I don’t know who you are – get out.” That was the beginning of a lovely friendship. I sent her the birthday pictures and, after that, she invited me to all sorts of events, from the Chelsea flower show to when she became a dame in 2000.
I shot on black and white until the mid-1990s and kept using film until the end of the decade. Most of my early pictures were with a Leica M4. Even after the advent of digital, I continued shooting with Leicas. I preferred what you got and the way they handled: they’re small and unobtrusive, fitting easily into my pocket.
It’s difficult doing this job for a long time. Some of my dearest friends have gone: Freddie Mercury, George Harrison, and of course Liz. It’s got to the point where I’m running out of people. My heyday ran from 1970 until 1995. That was when there was money in the industry and people took us seriously – we weren’t out on the streets being paparazzi.
The whole industry has changed now. Everyone has a cameraphone and the way celebrities are photographed is intrusive. Today, I only go somewhere if I’m commissioned. Otherwise I stay at home and watch Tottenham on TV. I’d rather become a cab driver than start doing this now.
I’ve had breakfast with Nelson Mandela, lunch with the Dalai Lama, but I’d still like to have dinner with Bob Dylan – if only to find out where he gets his suits from.
• This photograph will be auctioned for charity at Christie’s on 20 November with other shots from Annabel’s, 1963-2018.
Richard Young’s CV
Born: 1947.
Training: Nine months in Paris, in 1968, working with advertising and fashion photographer John Bishop.
Influences: Annie Leibovitz.
High point: “Spending a day with Nelson Mandela and my 11-year working relationship with my dear friend Freddie Mercury.”
Low point: “Standing out at night in all weathers.”
Top tip: “I never drink when I’m working. You need to be sharp.”
