ONE of Britain’s most famous photographers has taken a swipe at the state of his profession, blaming digital cameras for destroying much of the art of portrait photography.

Terry O’Neill has been capturing the world’s royals, celebrities, models and politicians for more than 45 years. O’Neill, 67, has now decided the time has come to sell or give away large numbers of his pictures.

The photographer, who used to be married to the actress Faye Dunaway, is highly critical of the digital camera. “I refuse to use it,” he said. “It’s going to ruin photography.

“The problem with it is that the picture taker keeps on looking at what he’s just done rather than look at the subject. These days the modern technology means you also don’t have to be a real photographer. The eye and the feel of the stills photographer have gone.”

In February more than 100 of O’Neill’s portraits will go on sale in the Chris Beetles gallery in Mayfair. They include well known photographs of Sir Sean Connery, Luciano Pavarotti, Janis Joplin, David Bowie, Jerry Hall and Orson Welles.

Others have not been seen publicly before, among them a photo of Frank Sinatra with a gun. “I did this when I was working with him on some movie,” said O’Neill.

“His character didn’t use a gun, but Sinatra had one when he took off his jacket. He seemed absolutely at ease with it, though I never dared ask him if he used one. He was the most extraordinary person I’ve known. His presence in a room was remarkable.”

Another previously unseen photo is of his former lover Martha Stewart about three years ago, the domestic style guru described as an “Apple-pie Middle American” before she was jailed for lying about a share sale and obstructing justice. She is seen astride a motorcycle.

The exhibition includes a picture of the Beatles taken in early 1963, with John Lennon striding out in front of the group. “It’s John as he wanted to be: the leader,” said O’Neill.

He added that he hardly ever talked to his subjects: “You can’t work and talk at the same time. I also try to ensure I don’t discuss their personal lives even after the session is over.”

O’Neill, who was born in the East End of London, said that out of the many of actresses he had photographed, including Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot, he had only ever met one who was happy: Dame Judi Dench.

He photographed Kate Moss when she was 16: “I never thought then she would develop into such a beauty.”

There is only one person O’Neill badly wanted to take, but failed: “The last pope. What an intriguing man.”

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