Royal protocol meant that I was not allowed to get too close to the Prince or Princess, so I had to walk backward at the same speed that they were moving forward. And before autofocus cameras, this made taking a photo that was sharp almost impossible. If I stopped to focus, then a large man in a leather coat with the obligatory Zapata mustache would push me out of the way. It was exhausting! Finally, we entered a giant hanger where about 50 apprentices stood at attention in front of an enormously long metal work table. I ran to the other end, as I needed to reload again. Perching up on the table, I was oblivious to all else except getting film into my cameras. Just as I finished, I looked up and Diana was right in front of me. I quickly raised my camera and pressed the shutter. On the third click, I felt my ankles being pulled from under me as I came tumbling from the table. I held my cameras in my hands to protect them, so came crashing down on my elbows on to the concrete floor. My coat ripped, the pain shot through my arms and legs, I saw stars. Diana leaned over the table “Are you alright?” “Not really,” I replied to the thin air where she had been standing. She had already been whisked away. Returning to my car, I discovered that the other photographers had jammed Police cones underneath it and I had to get down on my bloody hands and knees to drag them back out. I drove back to Southport, took a shower, changed my clothes, ate some toast, and then drove 250 miles to London to drop my film at a lab as it opened at 8 am. Most of the film looked like it had been taken in the middle of a rugby scrum, or so my editor later told me. But, there were three great shots. One of Diana and the champagne smashing; one of the Royal couple in their Limousine, shot through the car side window; and finally, the close up of Diana that went on the magazine cover.
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1. Lea Nicolas for Provocateur Magazine Paris 2. Greta Varga for Random Magazine Paris 3. Agatha Maksimova Paris 4. Laura K for Runaway Magazine Paris
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