Brian Duffy's photograph of Bowie with Pierre LaRoche's red and blue lightning bolt painted across his face became the single most recognizable image associated with David Bowie — a visual icon of fractured identity and glam rock.
The photograph was taken during a session at Duffy's London studio at 62 King's Road. Bowie sat shirtless with his eyes closed while makeup artist Pierre LaRoche painted the now-legendary red and blue lightning bolt across his face. The bolt was rendered in bright red with a blue outline and shadow, and a small metallic teardrop was placed on Bowie's right collarbone, reportedly made of liquid gold or gold leaf (accounts vary).
The lightning bolt design was inspired by multiple sources. One was a ring belonging to Elvis Presley that featured a lightning bolt and the letters "TCB" (Taking Care of Business). Another was the duality implied by the album's title — "Aladdin Sane" is a play on "A Lad Insane," reflecting the split between Bowie's stage persona and his inner turmoil during the grueling Ziggy Stardust tour of America. The bolt literally splits his face in two, suggesting a fractured identity.
Bowie was reportedly exhausted during the shoot, having just returned from a transatlantic crossing by ship (he had a fear of flying at the time). His fatigue contributed to the heavy-lidded, almost trance-like quality of the final image. Duffy shot the photograph on a Hasselblad camera, and the final image was retouched by airbrush artist Philip Castle, who enhanced the colors and added the metallic finish to the teardrop.
Brian Duffy was one of the "terrible three" British photographers (alongside David Bailey and Terence Donovan) who revolutionized fashion photography in the 1960s. Despite his celebrated career, Duffy became disillusioned with photography and famously burned most of his negatives in a bonfire in 1979. Crucially, he preserved the Bowie session negatives, recognizing their significance. Duffy and Bowie reconciled professionally in the 2000s, and limited-edition prints of the session were released before Duffy's death in 2010.
The Aladdin Sane lightning bolt has become the single most recognizable image associated with David Bowie — more so even than the Ziggy Stardust look. It has been referenced in fashion by designers from Alexander McQueen to Marc Jacobs, reproduced as face paint at festivals worldwide, and used as a tribute symbol following Bowie's death in January 2016, when lightning bolt graffiti appeared on walls around the world. Lady Gaga recreated the look for the 2016 Grammy Awards tribute to Bowie. The original photograph has been exhibited in major galleries including the Victoria and Albert Museum.