Miss Bacall lived in the famous Dakota Building in NY, made infamous for the killing of John Lennon on the steps outside. Due to this fact, photography or filming is not allowed in the building at all. I was told I would have to disguise my equipment and go to the building under the guise of "a friend stopping by for a visit." I took minimal equipment and packed it into two small bags, to enable me to take a close up head and shoulders portrait and climbed the stairs to her apartment. Due to a double hip operation Miss Bacall was not able to manoeuvre far so I suggested I set up where she was sitting and just used a piece of black velvet as a backdrop. Ms Bacall entertained me with stories of Bogey, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy; whilst she was chaining smoking and eating pistachio nuts. I was ready to do a lighting test and just asked her to look at the camera and I took one shot. And it was this one shot that turned out to be my favourite, a non smiling totally naked and striped back portrait.