Note: If viewing Michael Jackson Ultimate Archive on archive.org (Wayback Machine), please view the latest snapshot of this page for the most up-to-date information and media.

The very first photo session Michael worked on for OTW was with Jerry McCrary, where he was wearing a white shirt and brown trousers.

The early ideas for the album cover had Michael seated on a bale of straw, wearing cowboy clothes. Mike Salisbury changed all that when he was invited to come up with ideas, introducing the tuxedo and to put his hands in his pockets to lift the trousers to show off his sparkling socks. The idea was a hit with Michael. The photograph for the cover was taken by Steve Harvey. Harvey was on standby to shoot the album cover for Randy Newman and for Michael’s OFF THE WALL, when Salisbury finally gave him the call to do Michael’s cover.

Speaking to Richard Lecocq for mjdatabank.com, Harvey explained how he first met Michael and how the shoot went.