Fiona Rose Pattinson Adams, née Clarke (26 September 1935 – 26 June 2020)[1] was a British photographer. She is most well known for her photograph of the Beatles jumping in the air which featured on the Twist and Shout EP cover.[2] In the 1960s, she photographed musicians of the day including Jimi Hendrix, Billy Fury, Cilla Black, Adam Faith, Bob Dylan, Sandie Shaw.[2]
Adams was born on 26 September 1935 in London,[1] daughter of Freda (née Pattinson) and Philip Clarke, both professional musicians.[1]
The family ran a guest house in the Channel Island of Guernsey.[3] Due to World War Two in 1941, the family left Guernsey and returned in 1946.[3] Adams attended The Ladies College in St Peter Port.[1] She studied photography at the Ealing School of Art, graduating in 1955.[3]
Adams worked for photographer Douglas Glass for 7 months after graduating.[3] This was followed by a role as photographer assistant in London County Council's architectural department for four years.[3] After working in Australia for two years, she returned to England in 1961.[3] Adams was briefly married in Australia.[1]
As a temp job she began photographing pop and cultural celebrities for Boyfriend magazine[3] and, a year later, worked at Fabulous magazine.[3] In 1967, she began photographing for American Express.[3]
Adams married Owen Le Tissier in 1972.[1] They had two children.
She returned to Guernsey in the 1980s, and continued to work as a professional photographer.[3][1]
The 2009–2010 National Portrait Gallery exhibition Beatles to Bowie: the 60s Exposed included work by Adams.[4]
Owen died in 2011. She died in Guernsey in June 2020.[2]