What’s The Story Behind the Photo on Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here Album?

Let’s take a deep dive into the rich history of rock ‘n’ roll imagery. Let’s talk about one of the most iconic album covers in music history: Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Released in 1975, this album is not only celebrated for its sonic brilliance but also for its striking cover art, which has become a visual staple in the world of vinyl enthusiasts. So, grab your headphones and let’s unravel the story behind that mysterious photo.

The Concept and the Creative Team

To understand the visual concept of Wish You Were Here, we need to start with the band’s intention behind the album. Following the massive success of The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd was grappling with themes of absence, alienation, and the music industry’s disillusionment. These themes were central to their new project, and they wanted an album cover that would encapsulate these feelings.

Enter Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell of Hipgnosis, the design team behind many of Pink Floyd’s most memorable covers. Thorgerson, a longtime collaborator and friend of the band, was given the challenging task of creating an image that would capture the album’s essence.

The Cover Photo: Two Businessmen Shaking Hands

The cover of Wish You Were Here features a surreal photograph of two businessmen shaking hands, one of whom is engulfed in flames. This image was meant to symbolize the deceptive and often “burning” nature of the music industry, where superficial pleasantries often mask deeper, more destructive realities.

The shoot took place on the backlot of Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles. The man on fire was a stuntman named Ronnie Rondell, who wore a specially treated suit and wig to protect him from the flames. Remarkably, this was all done practically—no Photoshop, no digital trickery. The flames were real, and the handshake, albeit brief, was genuine.

Capturing the Perfect Shot

Creating this image wasn’t without its challenges. Thorgerson and his team had to contend with strong winds that made controlling the flames difficult. In one particularly dramatic moment, the wind shifted, causing Rondell’s flames to blow back towards his face. Despite these setbacks, they managed to capture the perfect shot after around 15 takes.

Interestingly, the cover wasn’t just about the burning man. The photograph was initially intended to be one of several images exploring themes of absence and the superficial nature of social interactions. This concept was also explored in the album’s inner sleeve and other promotional materials, which featured more thought-provoking imagery.

The Alternate Covers

In true Pink Floyd fashion, the band also played with the idea of “absence” by initially shipping the albums in an opaque black shrink-wrap, hiding the actual cover. This was a nod to the album’s themes, forcing listeners to engage with the music before unveiling the art. When the shrink-wrap was removed, it revealed the iconic image we know today, along with a sticker of a mechanical handshake—a further commentary on the artificiality of the music industry.