Working on a freelance basis for The Sun, Koppel was despatched to Regent Street's Tower Records in 1987 to photograph Prince who was visiting the store on an unscheduled stop during the European leg of his Sign O The Times World Tour.
By the time the star emerged from the store a huge crowd had gathered, and Koppel was surrounded by Police, bodyguards, fans and members of the general public.
Easing his way to the car door parked at the edge of the pavement, Koppel manoeuvred himself into a prime position to get shots of Prince in his polka dot suit as he approached the car door flanked by his bodyguards and entourage. At the moment Prince got near the car an overzealous minder pushed Koppel in the chest and pinned him to the boot of the Daimler, keeping the photographer flat on his back on the boot of the car. In a split second movement, disentangling his right arm holding his camera, Koppel was able to reach out and fire off a few shots and captured a perfect shot of Prince shaking hands with a fan and getting a full length crop of Prince grinning as he approached the waiting limo.
In the days of film, if light leaked onto the unexposed negative it created an orange or red glow, considered to have ruined the film. Nowadays, light leaks can be digitally manufactured to create a nostalgic, ethereal feel. What was once considered a mistake has now been elevated to fine art.
All prints are embossed with the photographers stamp, numbered and signed by the photographer David Koppel in pencil on lower right margin.
Printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308gsm fine art paper. This acid- and lignin-free classic meets the most exacting requirements for age resistance and is specially designed for FineArt applications. Whether it is used for FineArt photography or art reproductions, the ideal combination of structure, print quality and weight makes Photo Rag® one of the most versatile FineArt papers.
All works are sold unframed.