Peter Sellers: photographer
A new exhibition organised by the late actor’s family highlights the ambitions of Peter Sellers behind the camera
Peter Sellers: Behind the Camera will feature 50 photographs taken either by Sellers himself or relating to his photographic career. It has been organised by Sellers’ daughter Sarah and his granddaughter Emily, a photographic producer, and coincides with what would have been Sellers’ 90th birthday.
Although he claimed that photography was “mainly a hobby” Sellers’ involvement with photography went rather deeper than that.
In 1971, the Evening Standard gave Sellers his first paid commission, asking him to photograph his co-star Sinéad Cusack on Wimbledon Common during the filming of the satire Hoffman. He subsequently had images published in the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph magazines and, in one of his longest-lasting photographic relationships, Vogue ran 40 of his images.
In 1973 a small collection of his photographs was displayed at London’s ICA and his interest in photography was marked by an Olympus ad campaign that same year for the launch of the OM-1. He was shot for the campaign by Adrian Flowers (see above) and subsequently bought one of the cameras for his daughter Sarah. As a result, Olympus is supporting the new show.
Peter Sellers: Behind the Camera is at 19 Beauchamp Place, London Sw3 1NQ, from October 26 until 31. Proceeds from sales of a catalogue and limited edition, framed prints will go to the British Heart Foundation. Image shown top: Britt Ekland and her daughter Victoria Sellers © Sellers Family