The Beatles’ photographer and collaborator Astrid Kirchherr has died at the age of 81. The news was revealed by Beatles’ historian Mark Lewisohn on Twitter describing Kirchherr as “intelligent, inspirational, innovative, daring, artistic, awake, aware, beautiful, smart, loving and uplifting.”
Lewisohn’s tweeted confirmed that the legendary photographer died on Wednesday (May 13) a few days before her 82nd birthday.
Kirchherr was credited for taking the first picture of the fab-5 in their native, Hamburg. She also convinced them to cut their hair into the “mop tops.”
Kirchherr was also engaged to Beatles guitarist Stuart Sutcliffe before he died in 1962. Fans will remember Astrid Kirchherr as the “sixth Beatle.”