Elizabeth Taylor on the cover of PEOPLE  By Liz McNeil and Tierney McAfee  02/24/2016 AT 08:00 AM EST  She was one of the most beautiful and glamorous women of all time but to Firooz Zahedi, his friend  was just "low-key" Elizabeth, a "hippie," humanitarian – and hitchhiker.  Zahedi explores the legend's off-screen life in his intimate new photographic memoir,  , which contains many never-before-published pictures and fascinating glimpses into the woman behind the movie marquees, multiple husbands and precious jewels.  Among the anecdotes is the story of a 1976 summer day when Taylor was visiting  's Montauk, New York, beach house and decided to hitch a ride into town. "Let's hitchhike!" she suggested to Zahedi.  Firooz Zahedi shared intimate photos he took of Elizabeth Taylor during their 35-year friendship. She is pictured here in 1997 at an Oscar party at her home  Firooz Zahedi / My Elizabeth / Glitterati Incorporated  It didn't take long for the actress, unrecognizable in a T-shirt and bell-bottom jeans, to score the duo a ride in the back of a pick-up truck. "See! It wasn't that hard, now was it?" she boasted to her companion.  Taylor and Zahedi's 35-year friendship began when  tried to fix Taylor up with Zahedi's diplomat cousin. She walked in the door wearing jeans and espadrilles, the photographer tells PEOPLE in this week's issue.  Elizabeth Taylor at Atoka farm in Middleburg, Virginia  Firooz Zahedi / My Elizabeth / Glitterati Incorporated  Elizabeth Taylor and Firooz Zahedi at a mosque, en route to Isfahan, Iran, in May 1976  Arthur Bruckel / My Elizabeth / Glitterati Incorporated  Now, on the five-year anniversary of Tayor's  , Zahedi, 66, is paying homage to the star's softer side by publishing  , which will benefit her beloved  The star often surprised people with her earthy playfulness, asking fellow guests at Warhol's beach house if she could join their softball game, says Zahedi.  "They didn't think she'd participate but she proved them all wrong by picking up a bat, which was nearly her own height, whacking the ball really hard and racing to first base with a triumphant smile."
Elizabeth Taylor's friend, photographer Firooz Zahedi, gives fans a glimpse of the woman behind the glitz and glamor in his new photographic memoir