‘I’ve met people with tattoos of it’: Andy Vella on shooting the Cure’s Boys Don’t Cry cover

Photographer Andy Vella discusses the iconic cover image for the Cure’s Boys Don’t Cry, originally captured during a 1981 music video shoot and later selected for the album’s 1986 rerelease. The black-and-white photograph of Robert Smith with his guitar became one of the most reproduced and bootlegged images in post-punk history, spawning numerous tattoos and unauthorized reproductions. Vella describes the serendipitous nature of the shot—the film jammed during shooting but miraculously captured the image on frame 21. He explains his subtle colorization technique using photographic dyes, maintaining a monochromatic feel while adding delicate pinks and yellows. Reflecting on his decades-long collaboration with the Cure beginning in 1981, Vella emphasizes the importance of working with artists who have a clear vision, like Robert Smith. He credits both intentional artistic choices and fortunate accidents in creating memorable work, and notes the enduring cultural impact of iconic album sleeve design in an era when visual presentation was integral to music consumption.

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