See John the way I did”: Meet May Pang during her tour across the United States by Shelley Germeaux
She lived with him for eighteen months, from the summer of 1973 until early 1975, in Los Angeles and New York. During that time, she took many candid photos of him while traveling, swimming, and even hanging out with his former Beatle bandmates.
May Pang, John Lennon’s lover and confidant during the period known as “The Lost Weekend” is on tour in the United States showcasing her photographs of John.
We visited her exhibit at the Artists’ Gallery, August 11 and 12 in Olympia, Washington, and chatted with her at length. She said, “This is my 94th event so far, with many more to come!”
Her decision to do this extensive road trip across the country with her photos, visiting so many states, did not come lightly. It’s a tremendous undertaking. She said, “My business partner, Scott Segelbaum, has been trying to get me to do this for about six years, and I kept saying not yet.”
Surprised, I asked her why? She said, “Frankly, I just didn’t think people would be interested in what I had in my collection. These pictures were under my bed for a long time!”
She continued, “Finally, Scott convinced me that people would really be interested. When I knew the documentary (The Lost Weekend: A Love Story) was about to premiere, I thought this might be the time to let the public see him up close and personal.”
I asked her what she wanted fans to get out of the exhibit more than anything else. She said, “I want people to see John the way I did. These are candid, at-home shots that John loved having me take at any time.”
Even though we saw her photos in 2015 in Seattle, WA, she reminded me that it was a limited showing, saying, “There were only about six or seven at that time.” This was because that exhibit featured many different pieces of art, including sculptures and paintings of John Lennon by various Seattle artists. “Now,” she said, “I’m showing 37 pieces, it’s much larger. You may have seen these in my book Instamatic Karma, but this is the first time you’ve seen the actual photos in person.
Walking around the room and looking at all her photos, each one titled and signed, I tried to decide which were my favorites. It was difficult; there are so many good ones. But one that stands out for me is the image of him in the water with the sun on his face, almost like he’s praying. It seems to capture his spirit, something May had an uncanny knack for. The closeup photos of John reveal so much clarity, and yet are candid, not posed. John is relaxed and having fun.
It was an important time in his life that would have been lost to the ages without her diligence and keen eye. Despite being in a personal relationship with John, she never lost sight of the moment’s significance. To have been present when he reunited with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in Los Angeles must have been breathtaking. The huge photo of John signing the dissolution agreement with the Beatles is iconic as well.
Then there are the purely personal, everyday moments. For example. only an intimate partner would have captured the shots of him eating soup and then blowing his nose! She laughed and said, “I brought him hot and sour soup and he loved it. But it made his nose run! When I snapped that picture, he looked up from the Kleenex and said, ‘Really?’ But look how great the pictures are!”
Her signed, limited-edition photographs are available for purchase at the exhibits, as well as her site, May Pang Photography. Prices are lower at the exhibits.
It is an opportunity of a lifetime to see these photos and meet May. The events are free, and she is happy to meet with fans and share stories about her time with John. If you always wanted to know how she got together with John, what it was like to live with him, and work with him on Mind Games and Walls & Bridges, (not to mention seeing a UFO in 1974!) then seeing her exhibit should be high on your list.
An 11×17” poster is available for $50 that she will personally sign, depicting the cover of her excellent 2022 documentary entitled The Lost Weekend: A Love Story.
The location and dates for her upcoming exhibits through early 2027 are posted at May Pang Photography. During September, beginning the 11th, she will be in California, with appearances in Menlo Park, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara.
Many thanks to May for doing this tour across the country and sharing your stories and photos!
Shelley Germeaux
September 2026
