NEW YORK (AP) — One of the key influences on the early Beatles, German photographer Astrid Kirchherr, has died at age 81.
She shot some of the earliest and most striking images of the Beatles and had a lasting impact on their visual style.
Kirchherr had dreamed of photographing what she called "charismatic" men.
She found her ideal subjects in the Beatles and especially their bassist at the time, Stuart Sutcliffe.
He was a gifted painter in his own right.
She quickly fell in love with him even though she spoke little English and he knew little German.
