This is the actual proof sheet as it was made in the darkroom in May of 1990. Negatives in a plastic sleeve placed between the paper and glass. It was an awkward shoot, and Krist’s height always made things more difficult. I was always ok with showing the artifice (lights, backdrops etc) of the shoot, but also wanted to frame tight for some.

I was going through my Avedon for the poor fixation, but when Kurt walked in, first thing he said “oh no, not a plain white backdrop.” I thought quickly and found a can of black spray paint. With little hesitation he walked over and painted a + and a - on the paper. Okay. If you look at the proof sheet you can see how awkward the band were - and studio shooting was not my forte. But I love how Kurt’s face just lightens up, with a touch of maniacal, when I tell them to flip me off. Chad, who doesn’t, would be out of the band a month later, and these photos are unusable for promotion. But when I think of Nirvana it’s still this line up I automatically think of. - Charles Peterson