Some of my best photos were hard won like this one I took ofDanny Kayewhen he came to Australia to conduct the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. (Photo, 1975.)

When the American entertainer (whoraised money for musicians' pension funds) visited Australia as a "guest conductor" ofthe Sydney Symphony Orchestra, I asked himto pose for the DailyTelegraph after a press conference. Kaye declined, saying he had time only for an interview with a TV station.It irked me.Back then, more members of the Sydney public were reading The Tele than watching TV news.

The next day, Kaye was rehearsing with the orchestra in a suburban theatre. When I asked at the front desk if I could photograph himduring rehearsal, I was turned away by security no media were allowed in.

Kaye had now rebuffed me twice, but I was very determined. I walked to the back of the theatre and slipped through the stage door.

Once inside, I made my way up to the dress circle and looked down through a gap in a curtain into the orchestra pit, whereKayewas conducting. Employing my telephoto lens, I worked quicklyusing just the available light and no giveaway electronic flash.

With the eyes on Kaye's expressive facehalf-closed,his conductors batonpoised in the air,ready to signal the next beat to the orchestra, I knew I had a strong picture, but the problem was going to be getting itout of the theatre.

Knowing it was likely Id be challenged by security before making it out of the building, I unwound the roll of exposed film, hidit in my sock and put another roll in the camera. I fired off a few shots as the security guards came towards me. Suddenly, they were on me, demanding my roll of film.

I looked as sheepish as I could, unwound the decoy roll and handed it over. A guard rudely pulled the strip of film out of the cassette, exposed it to the light and asked me to leave the theatre. I complied and sped back to the office with the real roll of film still in my sock and a cheeky smile on my face.

The picture turned out even better than I thought and made the front page of both the Daily Telegraphand The Australian.

When my pictorial editorasked me if I wanted my byline next to the picture, I replied, Most definitely, Johnny.I felt I had earned it!

Bill McAuley's 40-plus-year news career began in 1969 as a cadet photographer at 'The Age' in Melbourne.

He has several publishedcollections, including 'Portraits of the Soul: A lifetime of images with Bill McAuley' and 'Last light on Victoria Dock, 1999'. To see more from Bill, clickhere.

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