1 / 2The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie · 1972
Shot on a rainy London night outside K. West furriers shop, this iconic image almost never happened - the original concept was completely different. Photographer Brian Ward captured Bowie in his full Ziggy regalia under moody street lighting, creating one of rock's most atmospheric covers.
The legendary Ziggy Stardust cover almost looked completely different - the original concept involved elaborate stage photography with theatrical lighting and props, but everything changed during one spontaneous rainy London evening in early 1972.
The shoot's genesis came from RCA Records wanting to capture Bowie's new theatrical persona in a way that felt both otherworldly and street-level authentic. Terry Pastor, the art director, initially envisioned a studio setup that would emphasize Ziggy's alien rock star concept with dramatic staging.
Instead, Brian Ward suggested taking Bowie out into the Heddon Street area of London's West End for a more atmospheric approach. The photographer wanted to juxtapose Bowie's flamboyant costume against the gritty reality of London's nighttime streets.
The famous shot was taken outside K. West furriers shop at 23 Heddon Street, with Bowie posed against the illuminated storefront. Ward used the shop's own lighting and street lamps to create the moody, film noir aesthetic that made the image so compelling. The wet pavement from the evening's rain added crucial reflective surfaces that enhanced the dramatic lighting.
Bowie wore his full Ziggy regalia - the quilted turquoise jumpsuit designed by Freddie Burretti - which created a striking contrast against the mundane London backdrop. Ward shot multiple rolls, experimenting with different poses and angles to capture the perfect balance of alien glamour and urban reality.
Brian Ward was a relatively unknown photographer at the time, but his background in fashion photography proved perfect for capturing Bowie's theatrical persona. Terry Pastor, the art director, had previously worked on covers for T. Rex and understood how to translate glam rock's visual language into compelling album artwork.
RCA initially worried the cover was too dark and moody for a rock album, preferring something more colorful and energetic. However, Bowie championed Ward's atmospheric vision, arguing it perfectly captured Ziggy's status as an alien observer of human urban life.
The cover became an instant classic, with the Heddon Street location becoming a pilgrimage site for Bowie fans worldwide. The image perfectly encapsulated the glam rock era's blend of fantasy and reality, influencing countless subsequent album covers that mixed theatrical personas with street photography.
The photograph's influence extended far beyond music, inspiring fashion photographers and street style documentation for decades. Its composition - the lone figure against urban architecture with dramatic lighting - became a template for capturing musical personalities in environmental contexts.
Westminster Council eventually installed a plaque at the Heddon Street location, and the image has been endlessly parodied and homaged by artists ranging from Duran Duran to contemporary indie bands. The cover consistently appears on "greatest album covers" lists and helped establish the template for how theatrical rock personas could be photographed.
Remarkably, the K. West furriers shop sign remained unchanged for decades after the shoot, though the business eventually closed and the building was converted, making Ward's photograph an inadvertent piece of London street photography history that captured a moment in time that would never exist again.
