Freewheelin'

Bob Dylan and Suze Rotolo, February 1963

Photographs by Don Hunstein

It seems like such a simple photograph, just a young couple walking in a city on a cold day. But its pared down sensibility at a time when most album covers were carefully choreographed and staged, is why it became so iconic and influential.

My sensory reaction to the image is immediate: I know the sound of slushy streets, the smell of snow on metal and brick, the feel of a cold leather jacket. If you've lived in a climate cold enough for snow, you know its effect: staying inside, staying warm is top priority and in the necessary time outside you huddle for warmth and hunch your shoulders against the brisk wind. Winter can be long and brutal; being young and in love helps. The cover of Freewheelin' captures all of that aliveness.

Dylan and Rotolo dated for several years when he was just starting out. In the photos he is 21 years old, and she is just 19.