Take a trip back in time at The Unseen Beat Scene photography exhibition at Gallery Pop, Forres

A PROFESSIONAL photographer is curating a local exhibition of images of music stars of the sixties that were left undeveloped until now.

Last year, Paul Heartfield moved from London to Findhorn and was handed a folder of negatives by a villager who said they had come from an antique dealer in the UK capital, and had been in his shed since the 1980s.

Paul said: "He used to be a photographic agent and thought I could do something with them. Covid has pretty much killed the portrait photography side of my work so I had some time on my hands. This exhibition is the result!"

Paul has been a freelance photographer for 21 years, working for record labels like Beggars Banquet, magazines including Mojo, and newspapers such as The Times.

He has also worked in the Houses of Parliament at Westminster, taking portraits of politicians including the last three Prime Ministers at number 10.

"Quite a contradictory mix really," said Paul. "I've been really lucky!"

Paul and his wife - Ali, from Mull - lived in central London for 21 years and watched as the city changed dramatically. A few months before the coronavirus pandemic, they visited friends in Findhorn.

"We immediately felt we'd found home," said Paul. "Serendipity kicked in and a little house came up for rent in the village so we chucked everything in. We couldn't be happier."

When Paul developed the photographs he was gifted at his new home, he realised he was looking at decades-old images of the street he had lived on for the previous 21 years.

One shows a workman digging up the road outside the coffee bars of Drury Lane. Another from around the corner in the former Air Ministry building, Adastral House, depicts filming of pop programme 'Ready, Steady, Go!'

Paul said: "My three passions are music, photography and collecting interesting old stuff ... these have come together in 'The Unseen Beat Scene' at Gallery Pop in Forres"

The candid, casual and unguarded photographs are on display at 44 High Street from December 4-25. The Pop Gallery is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-4pm.

Paul has a few favourite shots.

He said: "The one of the Pan Am air hostess' legs with The Searchers at Heathrow is just fantastic. It encapsulates everything from that amazing time. A snippet of an air travel bag, newspapers, wrinkled silk stockings ... you can feel the excitement...

"The Beatles shot is another gem. They are all so young and deep in thought. From the neg' strip, it appears they were watching their good friend Cilla Black perform.

"There's one of Keith Richards at 19, backstage and surrounded by guitars. And another of The Shadows in their dressing room, sucking on sweets, looking like a mob of London gangsters.

"Brilliant unseen shots of musical heroes at the start of their career."

Paul finished: "Come and feel some of the excitement from when the world was swinging. Treat yourself to a moment in time when true popstars and the new Beat scene were ready to rip the world apart."