Who Was the Last Person to Take a Picture of John Lennon?

This is a question that stirs up so many emotions and brings us back to one of the most tragic and haunting moments in music history. John Lennon, the beloved former Beatle, was tragically shot and killed on December 8, 1980, in New York City. But before that, someone snapped what would become one of the last known photos of him. So, who was the person behind that camera?

The Last Photo of John Lennon: The Iconic Moment

Before diving into who took that last picture, let’s take a moment to appreciate the significance of that final image. It was just hours before Lennon's death, and the photo captures Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, leaving their apartment building at The Dakota. The picture exudes an eerie sense of normalcy, as though nothing out of the ordinary was about to happen.

The Final Hours of John Lennon

Well, the day was December 8, 1980, and Lennon had spent the day in the studio recording with Ono. He and Yoko were leaving their home when the photo was taken, a moment so ordinary and yet forever marked by what was to come. It's surreal to think that someone could have snapped a photo of him so casually, not knowing it would be the last time Lennon would ever step out into the world alive.

The Person Behind the Camera: Paul Goresh

So, who took that iconic photo? It was a man named Paul Goresh, a photographer and a fan of Lennon. Goresh had been following John Lennon and Yoko Ono around New York City for a while, often capturing moments of their daily life. He wasn’t a professional photographer in the sense of a celebrity photographer, but he had developed a rapport with the couple, which is why he was at the right place at the right time.

Who Was Paul Goresh?

Actually, Paul Goresh was a regular guy with a camera, and he just happened to be in the vicinity of The Dakota that day. He wasn’t a paparazzo or someone with a hidden agenda. He was a fan, and it was his admiration for Lennon that led him to snap the famous picture. Goresh had often been around The Dakota, trying to get photos of Lennon, and he had taken photos of the couple several times before. In fact, Goresh was known to have been at the scene when Lennon and Ono signed an autograph for the fan Mark David Chapman—the man who would later kill Lennon.

A Moment Frozen in Time

Goresh's photo shows Lennon dressed in his usual laid-back style—black jacket, jeans, and a tired but genuine smile. Yoko is with him, walking by his side. But here's the part that always gets to me. This picture, taken just hours before Lennon’s death, feels almost like a cruel premonition. You can see the exhaustion on Lennon’s face, the weight of fame, the uncertainty of life...

The Impact of the Photo

It’s strange, but the photo that Paul Goresh took didn’t make the headlines immediately. It wasn’t until after Lennon’s death that the world saw how iconic and haunting that image truly was. For those who didn't know about it at the time, it became a symbol of what might have been. The last glimpse of Lennon, in the final moments of his life, walking out of The Dakota building, seemingly unaware of the fate that awaited him.

The Legacy of the Last Photo

Honestly, the photo holds a different meaning for each of us. For many, it’s a reminder of a music legend who was taken too soon. For others, it’s a snapshot of a man who was both a symbol of peace and someone trying to live a normal life despite the intense scrutiny he faced.

The Eerie Coincidence: The Autograph Before the Murder

This is where things get really eerie. The same day that Goresh took the last photograph, Lennon signed an autograph for Mark David Chapman, the man who would later kill him. The photo Goresh took was actually just minutes before Lennon went back inside the building, only to be gunned down hours later. And the fact that Goresh had been there when Chapman asked Lennon for that autograph... well, it sends chills down my spine every time I think about it.

Conclusion: A Moment Captured Forever

It’s strange to think that the last person to capture John Lennon in a photo wasn’t a professional photographer but a fan who simply wanted a memento of his idol. Paul Goresh’s picture is now an unforgettable piece of history, forever tying him to one of the most tragic events in modern music history.

And maybe that’s why this photo hits so hard—because it captures a fleeting moment in time, just before everything changed. It reminds us of how fragile life is, how quickly everything can shift, and how the world lost one of its most brilliant minds too soon.

So, next time you see that image of John Lennon stepping out of The Dakota, you’ll know exactly who was behind the lens—and how that simple photo became a piece of music history forever etched in our hearts.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.