Michael Jackson’s Last Magazine Cover

[all4loveandbelieve]

[attachment=0:1iwg3zaa]michael-jackson-q-cover.jpg[/attachment:1iwg3zaa]




Michael Jackson is on a lot of magazine covers this month, but this one - Britain's Q magazine - is the last known magazine cover Michael posed for.

You may think these sort of things take months to prepare and a full-day to shoot, but not with Michael. This took 90 seconds.

Here's how photographer John Wright remembers it.

"I got a call saying Michael Jackson was in London and I could shoot him. I never thought for a second it would come off, so I was surprised when he did turn up at the office where we were doing the shoot. He looked exactly like you'd expect Michael Jackson to look: hair weave, military jacket, shades on inside.

"He was wearing a lot of make-up and he didn't have the healthiest skin that I've ever seen.

"He seemed fairly comfortable in front of the camera, though he wasn't jumping through hoops. I got a minute-and-a-half to shoot him, which is no time at all.

"My abiding memory is how polite he was - forgetting everything that's gone on, if you were his parents, you'd be proud of how you'd brought him up."

Some may argue that the magazine had some time to airbrush the photo - evening out his skin tone, removing the salt-n-pepper stubble, correct his impacted nose, clean up the edges of his lace-front wig - but hey, maybe that was the magazine's intent in their effort to "unmask" Michael

This appearantly was printed on thursday July 9/2009.. Now it does not stipulates if the picture was taken July 9 or they printed it on July 9th. If this is Michael Jackson than he does not look at all as the O2 Michael Jackson.
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[trustno1]

On Entertainment Weekly's website it said that the picture was actually taken in 2007 for the Guiness Book of World Records, I remember reading that a while ago.  In the same interview I'm sure the photographer said MJ seemed healthy and that he was having fun, although the photoshoot was only about 90 seconds long.  Not sure why Guiness would want to go to the expense of hiring a photographer specially when they could have used any picture of MJ, maybe it was at his request, who knows?  And I can't remember any other details, like if Guiness actually printed it, I doubt it if the photographer later sold it to Q, will have to go find the article again!  It sucks when you get older and your memory lets you down!

[all4loveandbelieve]

On Entertainment Weekly's website it said that the picture was actually taken in 2007 for the Guiness Book of World Records, I remember reading that a while ago.  In the same interview I'm sure the photographer said MJ seemed healthy and that he was having fun, although the photoshoot was only about 90 seconds long.  Not sure why Guiness would want to go to the expense of hiring a photographer specially when they could have used any picture of MJ, maybe it was at his request, who knows?  And I can't remember any other details, like if Guiness actually printed it, I doubt it if the photographer later sold it to Q, will have to go find the article again!  It sucks when you get older and your memory lets you down!

Trustno1, I don't understand, the article stated he was in London, and july9 /2009 was the date.  thanks for your information. Yes when you get older your memory does fail you, I know I am there already.. :lol:

[trustno1]

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Okay found the article, it says the pics were taken in 2007 for Guiness as MJ was accepting an award at their offices.  The photographer later sold one to Q magazine and they went to press with that issue just before MJ "died" (I remember at the time the issue was already out and it was too late to pull it).  He sold another of the three shots he took to a German publication and the last one he still had(at time of this article).

[skyways]

A BEAUTIFUL MAN... nether less to say,  and i loved grays in  his hair .

[all4loveandbelieve]

A BEAUTIFUL MAN... nether less to say,  and i loved grays in  his hair .

Yes indeed, when you hit your 50's yup gray hair are not really welcome  :lol:  take it from me. blessings

[Guest]

terrible photo to be honest with you

[pepper]

trustno1 wrote
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Jul 10 2009 06:42 PM ET
Michael Jackson: The truth about his 'final' photo shoot
by Simon Vozick-Levinson

The image of Michael Jackson that graces the cover of Q magazine’s August 2009 issue, which coincidentally went to press shortly before Jackson’s tragic death, has been widely circulated as the last authorized photograph of the singer. While that remains likely to be true, photographer John Wright tells the Music Mix that the photo shoot in question actually took place several years ago, in approximately 2007. Guinness World Records hired Wright at the time to photograph Jackson at the company’s central London office, where the star was accepting an award for his history-making album sales. “I got a call, ‘Do you want to shoot Michael Jackson next week?’” Wright recalls. “I said, ‘Yeah, sure.’ I was extremely relaxed about it, because I was absolutely certain he would never show up. But about 2 p.m. in the afternoon, he walked in.”

Jackson was joined by “a fairly large entourage” including bodyguards, management, and a few lucky fans — but no makeup artist or stylist. “It was extremely underplayed,” says Wright. “The thing that excited me was it was an opportunity to do a really, really honest portrait of that face.” Jackson spent about an hour meeting and greeting Guinness officials before Wright got a three-minute window to shoot him. “What struck me was his shyness. He carried himself really quite humbly, I thought. I’ve shot a lot of celebrities, and was pleasantly taken with the fact that Michael Jackson went out of his way to introduce himself and shake hands with everybody on my crew, which was about four people on the day — even crossing the room to shake hands with one of my assistants, which was unnecessary, but he obviously felt compelled to out of a sense of grace and politeness.” Adds Wright, “I want to make it clear: He was attentive, he was focused, he was having fun. That wasn’t an ill man who was in the room with me.”

After photographing Jackson for about 90 seconds in total, Wright had three usable head shots, one of which he eventually sold to Q earlier this year when the magazine put together its August 2009 cover story on the King of Pop’s planned London comeback concerts. Now, as it becomes clear that the Guinness shoot may have been Jackson’s last, Wright says he’s been approached by a number of outlets looking to print the other two photos. While he provided one to a German tribute publication, he’s proceeding with caution. “It really depends on the context of what they’re doing. It will always be the picture that it is, and it’s looking like it could be the last official portrait that was shot of him. I’ve got no need to exploit the situation.” (When contacted by EW, Jackson’s reps were unable to confirm at this time whether this was his final photo shoot.)

[Dancer]

terrible photo to be honest with you

:shock: Well, that's your opinion and you have every right to have your opinion. I just love that picture. ♥

Michael Jackson went out of his way to introduce himself and shake hands with everybody on my crew, which was about four people on the day — even crossing the room to shake hands with one of my assistants, which was unnecessary, but he obviously felt compelled to out of a sense of grace and politeness.

That's Michael... ♥  A man who just loves people and is polite and friendly to everyone without putting them into categories like "important" or "not important and not even worth of looking at".

Adds Wright, “I want to make it clear: He was attentive, he was focused, he was having fun. That wasn’t an ill man who was in the room with me.”

One more statement among many others that confirm my honest belief that he was NOT the ill, drug addicted, depressed man the media portrayed him.
I remember the article from Ebony 2007: "It may sound odd, but Michael Jackson exuded love..."
I think he was and is much stronger than most people think.

[PureLove]

Ohh he is looking amazing. Thank you for the post all4loveandbelieve.  

[all4loveandbelieve]

Ohh he is looking amazing. Thank you for the post all4loveandbelieve.  

Anytime Purelove, anytime.

[MJonmind]

In fact I think he looks great with a little less make-up and a little stubble! Loved the story too.

[cassi]

Michael is one sexy man, and i love that pic btw.  im sure he went there knowing he did not have on makeup, and that is ok im glad he didnt wear it that my baybee  

[MissG]

I like that pic. He looks natural. The grey hair on the sides suits him and the beard as well. The maturity shown in this picture is positive imo.

[xxmjxx]

Just noticed what it says in that circle on the front cover....... :?