Joey Ramone smiling! And having fun! At the beach! Roberta Bayley’s best photograph
‘Joey didn’t surf. And he didn’t like this photo. He said, “You made my legs look thin.” Like it was my fault he had skinny legs’
TL;DR
- The author's first concert was the Beatles in 1964, which sparked her interest in photography.
- She later became involved in the New York punk scene, photographing bands at CBGBs for Punk magazine.
- Her iconic photo of Joey Ramone on Coney Island, with a surfboard, was taken during a fun, impromptu beach session.
- Joey Ramone disliked the photo, commenting on his perceived thin legs.
- The Ramones generally avoided smiling in photos, as their label preferred a more 'cute' image, which Joey rejected.
- Despite the subject's critique, the Joey Ramone beach photo is her best-selling work and is owned by several notable figures.