A signature tune for Starr as a solo artist, "Photograph" was an international hit, topping singles charts in the United States, Canada and Australia, and receiving gold disc certification for US sales of 1 million.

Aside from Starr and Harrison, the musicians on the recording include Nicky Hopkins, Bobby Keys, Jim Keltner, and Spector's musical arranger, Jack Nitzsche.

[2][3] Starr had hired a yacht, the Marala, for the duration of the Cannes Film Festival, after attending Mick Jagger's wedding in St Tropez with his wife, Maureen Starkey.

[5] This period coincided with Starr's first success as a solo artist, with the Harrison-produced single "It Don't Come Easy",[6] although he continued to focus on his career as a film actor,[7][8] beginning with a role in Blindman (1971).

[22] Author Ian Inglis comments on the familiar subject matter in the conventions of pop songwriting, but identifies an atypical aspect in the lyrics' "absence of any hope that love might be rekindled".

[32][33] Starr re-recorded the song in March 1973,[34] while working at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles on Ringo, his first solo album in the rock[35] or contemporary pop style.

[43] In addition, Vini Poncia, Starr's new songwriting partner,[44] and session musician Jimmy Calvert played acoustic rhythm guitar on the Los Angeles recording.

[40] On "Photograph", the additional instrumentation included a saxophone solo by Bobby Keys[46] and percussion played by one of Harrison's Apple Records signings, brothers Lon and Derrek Van Eaton.

[10] Aside from Nitzsche's contributions, the recording incorporates aspects of Spector's Wall of Sound production[51] through the use of multiple rhythm guitars and drums, and prominent percussion such as castanets.

[52] Leng draws parallels between the "resonant arrangement" on "Photograph" and the production that Harrison adopted for Ravi Shankar's song "I Am Missing You",[53] an April 1973 recording that also included Starr on drums.

[60][nb 6] Starr made a promotional film for "Photograph", in which he mimed to the song while walking through the grounds of Tittenhurst Park,[62] the Berkshire estate that he had recently purchased from former bandmate John Lennon.

[62][nb 7] The single's picture sleeve consisted of a photo by Barry Feinstein that showed Starr's head poking through a large star made of silver foil.

[67] In his personal life at this point, the album's release coincided with the failure of Starr's marriage, partly as a result of Harrison and Maureen conducting an affair.

[70] Commenting on the context in which Starr's song of "beautiful sadness" was released in the United States, Clayson describes "Photograph" as having been a popular request on radio playlists "for a nation still awaiting the return of many of its sons from Vietnam, following the January cease-fire".

[20] Rodriguez comments on the precipitous timing of the single, as it "capitaliz[ed] on the year's nostalgia craze",[25] while news of Starr recording with each of his former bandmates during the Ringo sessions provided further impetus.

"[81] In his album review for Rolling Stone, Ben Gerson highlighted "Photograph" as one of the "three most wonderful songs" on Ringo, along with the Lennon-composed "I'm the Greatest" and the Harrison–Mal Evans collaboration "You and Me (Babe)".

"[84] Betrock concluded: "'Photograph' is one of those rare pop records that grows stronger with each play, and will be covered and revived for years to come (I'll lay you 50–1 it appears on the next Andy Williams album).

"[84] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic views "Photograph" as a "gorgeous collaboration" between Starr and Harrison, and a track that "ranks ... among the very best post-Beatles songs by any of the Fab Four".

[85] Rodriguez continues: "The ersatz Wall of Sound somehow managed not to swamp the lead vocal and Harrison harmony, while embodying the best qualities of the Beatles' singles: hummable and familiar, yet fresh and enduring.

[17] Author Elliot Huntley similarly recognises the extent of Harrison's influence on this and other tracks on Ringo while rueing that "Photograph" was the only formal co-composition by the two ex-Beatles.

[98] Recorded at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on 3 September 1989,[99] it features the original All-Starr line-up of Starr, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren and Clarence Clemons.

[110] This performance – with a large band that included Jeff Lynne, Eric Clapton, Dhani Harrison, Preston, Keltner and saxophonist Jim Horn – was issued in 2003 on the Concert for George album [112] and appears in David Leland's documentary film of the event.

[119] Rolling Stone reported on Starr's performance of the song: "Backed by a massive full band, he bounced around the stage while old black-and-white photographs showed on a big screen behind him.

[129] While Starr's original recording appeared on the soundtrack to Funny People, a cover by the film's leading actor, Adam Sandler, is available as an iTunes bonus track with the album.