On the evening of February 15, 2026, renowned photographer Richard Young found himself reflecting on a career punctuated by iconic images and the trust of legendary figures. Yet, it was one night in particular—when he was summoned to capture Amy Winehouse at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith on the night she won her first Grammy Awards—that stood out as especially poignant. The invitation, extended by Universal Music’s PR team, came unexpectedly while Young was en route to a hotel in St Martin’s Lane.
“We’ve got this thing going on... Amy’s here. There’s a possibility she might get one or two awards. We would love you to come down and photograph it,” Young recalled, as reported by BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Winehouse, unable to attend the official ceremony in the United States due to other commitments, was instead surrounded by friends and family in London. The anticipation and excitement in the air were palpable, and Young, with decades of experience behind the lens, knew he was about to witness something special.
The evening was not just about the music or the awards—it was about intimate, human moments. As the gathering unfolded, Amy’s mother Janis offered Young a bagel, prompting Amy’s famously cheeky wit: “He’s fat enough as it is, he can’t have another bagel.” Young, never one to shy away from a bit of self-deprecating humor, later admitted, “I was a little bit overweight. But anyway, so the evening progressed like that, and at the end, she won five Grammys, and she was absolutely amazed by the whole thing. And it was just so beautiful.” (BBC)
It was during this vibrant, celebratory night that Young captured what he would later describe as an “incredible photograph”—Amy Winehouse embracing her weeping mother on stage, a moment he called “just so beautiful.” The image, immortalizing both triumph and tenderness, has since become emblematic of Winehouse’s complex legacy. “That photograph tells a story,” Young reflected. “If it doesn’t tell a story, then it’s not really worth having.” (BBC)
Young’s admiration for Winehouse extended beyond her musical talent. He selected her hit song “Rehab” as one of his Desert Island Discs, explaining, “It tells the story of the night.” The song, which famously encapsulates Winehouse’s struggles and resilience, seemed to Young the perfect soundtrack for that unforgettable evening.
Throughout his 52-year career, Richard Young has become synonymous with the art of celebrity photography. His lens has captured the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury, George Harrison, and, perhaps most famously, Diana, Princess of Wales. Young reminisced about his “very, very nice” relationship with Princess Diana, citing an early portrait of her in a black Elizabeth Emanuel dress as one of his favorites. “My relationship with Princess Diana was actually very, very nice. My favourite picture I’ve done of her, I thought was one of the very first pictures in a black Elizabeth Emanuel dress,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Lauren Laverne.
Young’s journey into photography was anything but conventional. Expelled from school at the age of 14 alongside his best friend Mark Feld—who would later become known as Marc Bolan of T. Rex—Young’s early years were marked by a love of music and a knack for finding himself in the company of future legends. “I loved musicians as I wanted to be one myself,” he admitted, listing T. Rex’s “Cosmic Dancer” and Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” among his other Desert Island Disc selections.
But it is the element of trust that Young credits most for his longevity and success in the industry. “Most of these artists I’ve chosen today… I’ve had some kind of personal relationship and personal contact with,” he explained. “They accepted me into their homes, into their work environment and everything else.” This rapport, he believes, allowed him to capture moments of vulnerability and authenticity that might otherwise have gone unseen. “A lot of people know that they can trust me and they like me, so I’ve been very, very fortunate.”
Young is candid about the ups and downs of his career. “Some of the things I’ve done over the last 52 years, some I regret, some I don’t regret. But I’ve always tried to make sure that my photographs tell a story.” That philosophy has guided him through decades of changing trends and technologies, from the heyday of film to the digital age, and has ensured that his work remains both relevant and deeply personal.
His appearance on Desert Island Discs was more than a trip down memory lane—it was a testament to the enduring power of images and the relationships behind them. Whether reminiscing about playful banter with Amy Winehouse or the quiet dignity of Princess Diana, Young’s stories are woven together by a common thread: a profound respect for his subjects and an unwavering belief in the narrative power of photography.
“The most important thing about a photograph is, if it doesn’t tell a story, then it’s not really worth having,” Young reiterated. It’s a standard he holds himself to, and one that has earned him the trust of some of the world’s most celebrated—and private—figures.
As the night at Riverside Studios faded into memory, the photographs remained—a testament to an artist who, for over half a century, has made a career out of capturing not just faces, but stories. For Richard Young, the greatest reward has been the relationships built and the trust earned, one candid moment at a time.