In 2006, Scottish photographer Albert Watson was assigned to capture Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs for a magazine feature. Jobs, known for disliking photo sessions, arrived punctually at 8:59 a.m. for his 9 a.m. slot.

Just before the shoot, Watson was warned by a publicist: "Steve hates photographers."

In a conversation with Profoto, a Swedish company, Watson recalled that he defused the tension with a bold promise. "I believe I have you for an hour, but I think I can get this done in half an hour," he remembered telling Jobs.

Jobs, relieved, replied, "Oh, my god, that would be great. I've got so much to do today."

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The prominent Scottish fine art, commercial and fashion photographer opted for simplicity, approaching the shoot "like a passport picture" with a white background and clean lighting. He asked Jobs to lean slightly forward, imagining himself across the table from people who disagreed with him — but knowing he was right.

"Easy for me, I do that every day," Jobs replied. The result was a penetrating close-up: Jobs leaning in, hand on chin, eyes locked with steely conviction.

The session wrapped up in about 20 minutes. When Jobs saw the Polaroid, he reportedly said, "That's maybe the best picture ever taken of me."

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Years later, Watson received a call from California requesting the photograph again. That same night, he learned Jobs had died on Oct. 5, 2011, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Apple had placed the portrait on its website in tribute.

The image has since become synonymous with Jobs' legacy.

Jobs' story began modestly in 1976 when he and Steve Wozniak built Apple's first computers in a garage. The Apple II made computing accessible, while the 1984 Macintosh introduced the graphical user interface to the masses.

After being ousted in 1985, Jobs founded NeXT and acquired Pixar, steering it into an animation powerhouse with films like "Toy Story." Apple eventually bought NeXT in 1996, bringing Jobs back.

His second act at Apple became one of business history's greatest comebacks. He streamlined the product line and unleashed a wave of iconic innovations: the iMac in 1998, iPod in 2001, iPhone in 2007 and iPad in 2010.

Diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2003, Jobs pressed forward until stepping down as Apple's CEO in August 2011. He died two months later at age 56.

Today, Apple has a market capitalization of $3.337 trillion, a towering legacy rooted in Jobs' vision.

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Photo Courtesy: Anton_Ivanov on Shutterstock.com

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.