At 95, Harry Benson hasn’t just lived history—he has documented it. Born in 1929 in Glasgow amid the chaos of World War II, Benson took his first published photograph at just sixteen. His career began on London’s fiercely competitive Fleet Street, but it was his assignment to travel with The Beatles on their first trip to America in 1964 that changed everything. Capturing some of the most iconic images of the band’s rise to fame, Benson never looked back after arriving in the United States.

For more than seven decades, Benson has been in the right place at the right time, preserving history as it unfolded. His portraits and photojournalism are held in prestigious collections worldwide, bringing pivotal moments to life. He has photographed thirteen U.S. presidents, from Eisenhower to Trump, and his lens has immortalized some of the most significant figures of the 20th and 21st centuries. His subjects range from Sir Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, and Martin Luther King Jr. to Andy Warhol, Frank Sinatra, Amy Winehouse, The Rolling Stones, Fred Astaire, and Michael Jackson.

Benson’s career has placed him on the front lines of history. He marched alongside Dr. King during the Civil Rights Movement, covered wars in the Gulf, Bosnia, and Afghanistan, and was captured by both sides in the Dominican Republic’s civil war on the same day. He documented the IRA, stood just feet away from Robert F. Kennedy the night he was assassinated, and captured the raw grief of Ethel Kennedy.

His extraordinary contributions to photography have earned him global recognition. In 2009, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his service to photography. He has twice been named NPPA Magazine Photographer of the Year, received the Leica Medal of Excellence, and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Center of Photography. In addition, he holds honorary doctorates from the University of St. Andrews, Glasgow University, and the Glasgow School of Art.

Benson's 20-year contract with LIFE Magazine produced some of the most memorable images of the modern era. His work has graced the covers and pages of TIME, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, Paris Match, GQ, Esquire, Vogue, and Architectural Digest. His career has been celebrated in over 40 solo exhibitions and 17 books, including The Beatles, PAUL, and Persons of Interest, with more exhibitions and publications in development.

His work is part of esteemed museum collections, including the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the National Portrait Galleries of London and Edinburgh, the Royal Museum of Scotland, the British Museum of Photography, and the International Photography Hall of Fame.

Benson’s remarkable life and career were the subject of the critically acclaimed documentary Harry Benson: Shoot First, now streaming on Netflix and Hulu.

From war zones to the White House, from Hollywood legends to cultural revolutions, Harry Benson has ensured that history will never be forgotten—because he captured it.