In a powerful new photography book from Taschen, the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll is revealed not just as a global icon, but as her true self. Tina Turner by Peter Lindbergh brings together decades of deeply personal portraits that show the superstar through the eyes of one of photography’s great humanists, and one of her closest creative confidants.
Lindbergh, known for his stripped-back, black-and-white portraiture and his commitment to natural beauty, was more than just a photographer to Turner. He was a friend, a collaborator, and a co-conspirator in the creation of images.
"No shot was too outrageous for Peter," Tina once said. "He knew that I was a bit of a tomboy, so we were partners in crime… Together, we made magic!"
And magic it is. Across the book’s pages, we see Tina through the years, on rooftops and beaches, in rehearsal spaces, and under the Eiffel Tower, yet always unmistakably herself. Whether dancing mid-frame or caught in a quiet moment of reflection, there’s a rare emotional clarity in these images. The performative mask is gone; what’s left is something deeper and honest.
For admirers of Peter Lindbergh’s work, this book feels like a culmination of everything that made him special: the trust he built with his subjects, his love for lighting and human presence, and his ability to find grace in imperfection. Few photographers could make images that felt both iconic and personal at once, but Lindbergh made a career of it. In Turner, he found a subject who gave as much as she got.
What makes this book especially meaningful for me, though, is that it offers previously unseen work and deeper insight into Lindbergh’s process. Since his passing, every new release feels like a gift, a chance to understand more about how he saw the world and the people in it. This book feels particularly intimate. Scattered throughout are handwritten and typed notes by Lindbergh, small windows into the creative process, the relationship, and the spontaneity that shaped these images.
Alongside the photographs is a heartfelt foreword by Erwin Bach, Tina’s husband, who opens the book with these simple words: "If I want to see vibrant images of Tina – the real Tina – I just have to look at Peter Lindbergh’s extraordinary photographs. There she is."
Tina Turner by Peter Lindbergh is more than a tribute. It’s a testament to artistic friendship, mutual trust, and the beauty that happens when two icons work without ego.
The book is available now in the UK, published by Taschen, priced at £60 / $80 (AUD release details to be confirmed). It will be released in the US in June 2025.
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Did you know that Peter Lindergh became a fashion photography icon by using Nikon DSLR cameras?
