Photographer of iconic Tennis Girl dies at 63

A PHOTOGRAPHER behind one of the world’s most popular posters has died.

Martin Elliott was the creator of Tennis Girl — a worldwide bestseller, featuring his then girlfriend, 18-year-old Fiona Butler.

The picture, taken by Elliott in 1976, sold more than two million copies worldwide.

Elliot, 63, died peacefully at his home near Truro, Cornwall, last week following a 10-year battle with cancer.

His widow Noelle, who met her husband in 1987, described his early days as “crazy”, and told the Cornish Guardian the image brought him worldwide acclaim.

She said: “Martin sold the image to Athena — who turned it into a poster but he retained the copyright. I am still getting royalties to this day.

“They’re only a few pence but because it has sold all over the world we have done well out of it.”

Elliott studied at the Birmingham School of Photography and went on to work in advertising with a studio in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

He retired to Cornwall 11 years ago after living in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands, and Portishead, Somerset.

His wife added: “Martin had a marvellous sense of humour and was a great joker.”

Fiona Butler borrowed a white tennis dress, a racket and balls and Martin took a photo of her from behind as she lifted her dress and touched her bare bum.

Elliott retained the copyright to the image and made a fortune but Fiona was never paid a penny — but did eventually marry a millionaire.

Speaking before his death he said: “I can remember it was an afternoon in September at the end of the long hot summer.

“It was over very quickly. I only took one roll of film, which is pretty feeble for a photographer and I just hoped I’d got the shot.”

Butler, now 50, later married millionaire Ian Walker and the couple live in Worcestershire.

Speaking in 2007, she said she was proud of the image.

“I can remember the day quite clearly. When the picture got so popular I was quite amused that something taken that afternoon could get so big,” she said.

“It became one of those pictures that everyone knows and everyone’s seen.

“I like the fact that it’s got a bit of an air of mystery about it. I think that’s what helped with its longevity, because people kept wondering if it was anyone famous.”

She added: “I remember going to a party with my husband and people were saying ‘is that the girl in the photograph?’. They looked me up and down and said ‘I don’t think so’. My son’s headmaster once said to me that he used to have it on his wall at university.

“My children have never been upset about it. It’s really nothing that anyone could be offended by. It’s just a bit of fun.

“It was just a picture of a very sort of ordinary girl and there’s something in that that appeals to people.”

On his own website, Elliott called it “the most published photograph in the world”.

It has been parodied by various celebrities including Alan Carr and Kylie Minogue and was often seen in the background of the satirical puppet show Spitting Image.

The photographer once said in an interview that it was “not a picture I would buy”, putting its appeal down to the seaside postcard spirit of the image.

His funeral takes place at the Our Lady of the Portal St Piran’s Church in Truro next Friday.