Photographic Alternative
June/August 1966
Photograph of The Queen in profile by John Hedgecoe
When Machin was working on his 'Coinage Head' plaster cast some members of the Stamp Advisory Committee argued for a photographic alternative. The plaster cast route was a departure from the previous Wilding photographic portrait. There was concern it could prove ineffective.
It was agreed that John Hedgecoe, recently appointed as head of the Photographic Department of the Royal College of Art, should take new photographs of The Queen.
The sitting was at Buckingham Palace on 22 June 1966. The Queen alternated between wearing a tiara and the diadem used on the Wilding portrait (and the Penny Black). About 60 photographs were taken. The Queen was shown in a true profile facing left in all of them . Some were in very dark shadow or silhouette.
After the sitting Hedgecoe informed the Palace that he was very pleased with the results. Although the photographs were never used directly on British stamps one did appear on an Australian stamp in 1970.
The photographs were sent to The Queen at Balmoral by the new Postmaster General, Edward Short. In August they were returned, annotated with comments by The Queen, which were sometimes quite emphatic ("NO" or "Good").
August 1966
Photographs by John Hedgecoe, annotated 'Good' and 'NO' by The Queen
Exclusive: these items feature in the exhibition at the RCA
Two photographs were sent direct to the printers and stamp essays were produced. This was to provide a clear comparison with Machin’s plaster cast design.
November 1966
Stamp artwork by David Gentleman based on a Hedgecoe photograph
David Gentleman later prepared various artworks based on Hedgecoe’s photographs and essays were printed showing The Queen in dark profile or against light and dark backgrounds.
