It’s not often that you get to work up close and personal with a musical genius. It’s even rarer to be there during moments when someone who has the eyes of millions is all alone, and you’re entrusted to capture who they truly are as they bare their soul.

The Iconic Images gallery in Piccadilly, London, is currently having an exhibition to celebrate the release of the book "Prince: Icon", offering an unprecedented glimpse into the life and artistry of the legendary musician, through the lenses of several photographers who captured him over the years.

While the famously reserved Prince maintained an aura of mystery throughout his celebrated career, one photographer, Steve Parke, managed to reflect the icon at both his creative peak and as the person he was away from the limelight during their 13-year collaboration from 1988 to 2001, when he worked as his in-house art director at Paisley Park, the singer’s sprawling studio complex and home.

“Through my photographs, I’m trying to tell the story of Prince all the time,” he tells me.

“I want people to see what I saw and bring a level of humanity to him as he’s a larger-than-life figure because of his talent and what he did, but there’s a real person behind that.”

“I think people forget that he was a human being who created all this stuff around himself, but also lived a life where he had relationships, friends, family and got married, and dealt with happiness and loss, all of which influenced his output.”

Parke is one of many musicians featured in the exhibition, but he’s also the one whose tenure with the artist was the longest and covered many creative eras.

"He was a hardworking musician and he was blessed with a gift which he nurtured and took to amazing heights,” he says in awe.

“In my photos, I try to capture the person behind the persona and say 'Yes, look at him! He's a rockstar and an awesome guitar player, but also look at this shot of him sitting outside in the Autumn leaves, relaxed and in a contemplative mood’. That's also a part of who he was."

One of Parke's photographs even served as the inspiration for Prince's spiritual song "The Holy River."

"During the course of working with him, Prince obviously inspired me and I tried to give back in a way that reflected my admiration and gratitude for what he allowed me to do".

"I took this photo of him, and when he saw it and liked it, I was incredibly happy," Parke said. "Little did I know that he would use that as inspiration for a song. When I tell the story behind it, I’m overwhelmed every time at the response to it."

“When you’re working with an artist like Prince, you don’t see the ripples it creates as you’re too worried about the end result. You do what you need to do to facilitate things in the moment and you hope it sends good waves out and I’m pleased that the image is perceived as it is, and that it in turn, inspired Prince.”

Steve also revealed that Prince was very conscious of his output and the impact it would have on the world, wanting to ensure everything was uplifting.

“Prince created his music because he was driven to. He couldn’t not do it. When he was young, he just did what he wanted to do and as he got older, he was concerned about how his music was perceived and ensured it had a positive message.”

If the eyes are a window to the soul, what did Steve Parke see staring back at him when Prince posed for the camera?

“I saw a kind person. He gave to a lot of himself to others and also to charitable foundations which wasn’t made public until after he passed."

"He sometimes had a hard time letting go of things from his past which he poured into his music, but he was always searching for something higher, better and positive."

"He could be demanding at times but always in pursuit of excellence within his art form because he drove himself just as hard as others.”

The "Prince: Icon" exhibition and book release compiles photographs spanning the musical legend's career, showcasing the many facets of his persona and how his visual presentation evolved alongside his boundary-pushing music.

"Photography is a great medium because it can capture so much of a person and with this exhibition and book, with so many photographers and perspectives of Prince, we have examples of the variety of ways he saw himself and gave to others be it in the studio, on stage or in private, over the years," Parke mused.

"Each era has its own look, and he did things his way and he carried that into his later life."

Through these intimate, artistic portraits, "Prince: Icon" paints a multi-dimensional picture of a once-in-a-generation talent and the person behind the purple-clad pop culture icon. The free exhibition runs until the end of December at Iconic Images gallery in Piccadilly and the book “Icon” is available for purchase at bookstores and online.