Starting Over with John and Yoko: The Photographs

by Roger Farrington, Kenneth Womack

“This is one to linger over.” ― Publishers Weekly On August 7, 1980, John Lennon and Yoko Ono made their triumphant return to the recording studio after a self-imposed five-year absence. Roger Farrington, an up-and-coming photographer from Boston, was hired to get “the shot” that would announce their comeback. It would be Lennon’s most intense press scrutiny since the heady days of the Beatles’ maiden voyage to America in 1964, and for Farrington, it would be the assignment of a lifetime. Just four months later, Lennon’s assassination would plunge the world into mourning.Reproducing, for the first time, the entire run of Farrington’s iconic photographs from that day, Starting Over transports readers back to 1980 and into Manhattan’s Hit Factory, where Lennon and Ono recorded their acclaimed LP Double Fantasy. With supporting photos and other ephemera, Farrington and renowned Beatles historian Kenneth Womack capture a poignant moment in music history and provide an insider’s look at celebrity photography in the pre-digital age.

164 pages, Hardcover

Published September 8, 2026

Reviews

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Starting Over with John and Yoko by Roger Farrington; Kenneth Womack

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Starting Over with John and Yoko: The Photographs is an appealing little time capsule of one of music history’s most bittersweet moments. Roger Farrington’s photographs capture John Lennon and Yoko Ono in Manhattan’s Hit Factory on August 7, 1980—the day they returned to recording after spending five years away from the studio. Farrington, then a young photographer from Boston, was brought in to create the image that would introduce their comeback, a tremendous assignment made even more significant by Lennon’s murder only four months later.

The book gathers the complete collection of photographs from that session, along with additional images and pieces of memorabilia. Kenneth Womack provides context about the making of Double Fantasy, the intense media attention surrounding Lennon’s return, and the challenges of taking photographs before the digital era. There is something especially fascinating about seeing how much depended on a single roll of film and the photographer’s judgment.

I have to start with the cover, which is genuinely lovely and immediately gives the book a sense of occasion. The images themselves are the main attraction: intimate, striking, and full of the strange optimism surrounding John and Yoko’s return. Yoko clearly understood the importance of documenting that moment, and hiring Farrington turned out to be an inspired decision. The photographs later took on an entirely different emotional weight after Lennon’s assassination.

That said, I found the book somewhat uneven. The story behind the assignment is compelling, but I wanted a little more depth in places, especially regarding the photographs’ later history and Farrington’s experience after the session. Still, this is a respectful memorial and a beautifully presented record of a brief period when a musical comeback seemed possible.

A worthwhile choice for Lennon, Ono, and Beatles fans, though I think dedicated admirers will appreciate it most.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of under 200 pages comprised of a special set of photographs taken of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in August 1980. Yoko masterminded selecting and hiring the publicity team from Boston, Cohen (publicist) and Farrington (photographer). While many think of other storied rock photographers from NYC like Bob Gruen who would normally photograph Lennon, the idea was to pluck someone reliable and talented but obscure. It was the first time the Lennons were going into the recording studio after a 5-year absence- focused on the raising of their son Sean. It was a closely guarded secret that the Lennons were about to go to The Hit Factory recording studio in Manhattan to start laying down tracks. In case it somehow leaked, Yoko wanted photographs ready to commemorate the occasion.

While I've never heard of Charles Cohen and Roger Farrington, I'm certainly familiar with the excellent author Kenneth Womack. He's written many books about The Beatles which I own and have enjoyed. This was a quick and enjoyable read from the photographer's perspective of being hired for such a momentous photo shoot. He goes into great detail of his interactions with John and Yoko, and how he captured each shot. He also discusses the shock of finding out that John Lennon was assassinated several months after the photos were taken, and the business end of various publications wanting to publish his photos. The only short section I found boring to read was his developing process for the film which he described in minute detail. This was a unique and fascinating book that was enlightening to me- someone who has read a ton of books about The Beatles since the seventies.

Thank you to the publisher Rutgers University Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Dorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Legendary photographs by Roger Farrington are from John and Yoko's final recording session, in 1980. The epre-digital days of photography. I loved the e=inclusion of rolls of film, from a camera. Farrington relates his start, working as a company manager of Charles Playhouse, in Boston. He learned a lot, keeping the place open. These skills proved beneficial when he received an "assignment" from Yoko Ono and to "keep it secret". Realizing the "conspiracy between the subject and the photographer", and learning to work within everyone's schedule and peculiarities, while trying to get a candid shot. And his fight, later, to retain ownership of the photographs.
A great memorial, excellent photos and a book that has been many years in the making.
Thanks to NetGalley for sending this for review.
#StartingOverwithJohnandYoko
#NetGalley

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a great story about a roll of film and the photographer who exposed it. Yoko knew what she was doing when she hired Roger Farrington to photograph her and John for their upcoming record. Who knew that these photographs would become incredibly famous because of John’s death. Highly recommended! And...these photo of John and Yoko Are EVERYTHING!!!!!!