Magnum FORCE

From a moody Marilyn to a demonic Dali, you weren’t a big shot until you were immortalised by a Magnum photographer. To mark its 70th birthday, the agency opens up its legendary archive to More

After a gruelling day spent filming their first major movie in 1964, the Beatles take a break for a quick meal.But,asphotographer David Hurn discovered while he was snapping the quartet during the shooting of A Hard Day’s Night, there was barely a moment in the Fab Four’s life during that period when they weren’t followed everywhere by hordes of screaming young fans.

And sure enough, in the background of the image (next page), you can see hundreds of their devotees staring on from a distance as their idols calmly finish their dinner. Another photo taken during the filming of A Hard Day’s Night shows the band relaxing after day on the set, not in the nightclubs of London’s Soho, but by playing a wholesome game of Monopoly.

It’s just one of the dazzling encounters behind Magnum Photos’ staggeringly impressive archive. Founded (allegedly) over a bottle of champagne in 1947 by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David Seymour, the world-famous photography co-operative has documented some of the most era-defining moments of the past seven decades – from the Spanish Civil War to the 2015 Paris terror attacks.

It has also snapped legions of stars, such as Hollywood sirens Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, and artistic visionaries Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol.

Magnum is a photographic cooperative, owned and administered entirely by members. To celebrate its 70th anniversary, over the next five pages More provides a glimpse into the tales behind some of its most iconic portraits. Magnum Photos’ 70th will be celebrated with a programme of events throughout 2017, including an anniversary exhibition and a book, ‘Magnum Manifesto’, published by Thames & Hudson. See magnumphotos.com