This Sydney photographer has spent 40 years with the world's biggest stars – but there's one that stands out

English-born rock photographer Tony Mott has had an incredibly colourful career over the years. In fact, it's one that would draw envy from most.

The Sydney-based snapper, who worked as a chef of French cuisine before heading into photography, has captured some of the most iconic music acts of all time.

Familiar faces in the 68-year-old's portfolio include Ozzy Osbourne, Queen and Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, and Taylor Swift more recently. He's even shot a number of Rolling Stone covers over the years – but there's one celebrity in particular that stands out above the rest.

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Mott, who was born Anthony Moulds, started out in the early '80s with Aussie rock band the Divinyls, fronted by the late Chrissy Amphlett, with one of his images becoming the band's tour poster.

Soon after, the self-proclaimed "huge rock and roll music fan" got a "lucky break" one could only dream of – Mick Jagger's manager called him up to take photos of the legendary musician, who was promoting and touring his solo work at the time in Australia.

"Then I toured with the Rolling Stones and then things just snowballed," Mott tells 9honey Celebrity.

But it's Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles who is Mott's most memorable subject.

The duo spent about three weeks together while McCartney was in Australia some time ago.

One iconic shot Mott captured of the musician was McCartney posing at Mrs Macquarie's Chair in 1995 with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.

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Mott, who is set to talk about his time in the industry and McCartney at the upcoming Beatlesfest in Lithgow from September 27 to 29, tells 9honey Celebrity the 82-year-old musician, who he jokingly calls a "millionaire hippy," not only was a "great musician" but said he "couldn't be nicer".

One day, the pair ended up having lunch on a small boat in Sydney Harbour, just the two of them.

And it all started when a lady named Mary called Mott about him being McCartney's tour photographer one day.

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"First of all I got a phone call from a girl called Mary, saying, 'Paul McCartney is looking for a tour photographer, he doesn't hire anybody until he meets them'," Mott says.

"They flew me down to Melbourne for a day... I had my portfolio, this is pre-internet. The girl I had been talking to was Mary, Mary McCartney [Paul's daughter, now 55]. They hired me.

"I had been warned by the main publicist not to mention the Beatles when in Paul McCartney's presence, which was quite humorous because it would be safe to say every time I was with Paul, he would mention them."

McCartney is also known for his solo work and work with his band, Wings.

Speaking about once being on the small boat in the middle of the harbour with the musician, Mott said they had a great conversation and McCartney recognised his English accent and asked him a question.

"He said, 'Where are you from? How come you ended up here?' And it was the perfect place for someone to say that, I was like, 'I'm from Sheffield, look at this place, you and I both come from s--tholes, Liverpool and Sheffield'," Mott recalls with a laugh.

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"He told me he often goes into London with a shade hat, on the tube and buses and gets away with it," Mott continues.

"I spent three weeks on the road with Paul McCartney and it was a pleasure, it doesn't get much bigger for a rock and roll photographer.

"I was guilty of being way too big a fan, I couldn't help myself," Mott muses.

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Mott also got to see another side of McCartney fans may not always see – the more personal, family side. And he saw McCartney with his late wife, Linda McCartney, who died in 1998 following a battle with breast cancer.

"I got along with Linda really well and she instantly tried to convert me to vegetarianism," he says.

"And she couldn't be nicer, and it was very obvious they were still in love, they were still touchy, touchy-feely. When he had a gig, he was always turning around to her."

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"[Their children] Mary, Heather and James were on the road with them," Mott continues.

"It would be fair to say he got lucky when he met Linda ... they were obviously brilliant together and he ended up with a great family."

Reflecting on his career so far, Mott says he "still gets a massive thrill when I get a cracker shot".

Mott is set to talk at Lithgow Workers as part of Beatlesfest 2024 and a rock 'n' roll photo exhibit of his work will run as part of the festival. His new book, Tony Mott Gallery, 40 Years of Rock N Roll Photography, is available to order via tonymott@optusnet.com.au.

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