slim aarons (1916-2006)…
… was an American photographer noted for his images of socialites and celebrities. Worked for Life and Town & Country. As I would, later on.
why bring up slim aarons?
On New Year’s Eve 1957, Aarons took a picture at Romanoff’s in Beverly Hills. James Stewart, graciously showing me his home before our session began, was about to identify the subjects of this famous image for me. But I knew who they were and said so: Clark Gable, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper, and Mr. Stewart. (The picture came to be titled “Kings of Hollywood”.) Novice that I was, I knew nonetheless that Slim Aarons had been the photographer. I was fascinated with photography long before I knew it would become my career.
Having Photographed James Stewart…
… I can’t claim to be a kid. Not even close. I’ve been a professional for 45+ years, and before that, an avid amateur, since childhood. This is me as a kid, in Pleasantville, New York.
MOST OF THE 45 YEARS…
…have been spent shooting for publication – magazines, mainly, but also design firms, ad agencies, corporations and the entertainment industry.
I’ve photographed a lot of famous people…
…including dozens of Academy, Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award winners — in studios and on location.
IN THE ’90S, MAGAZINE ASSIGNMENTS WERE DRYING UP…
… so I began shooting “lifestyle” sessions for stock photo agencies — images of families, couples, doctors and patients, teachers and kids, business people and so forth, on sets built in my studio. 15 years of this. 600 shoots. Along the way I hired 1500 models and actors.
AS THE CASTING DIRECTOR…
… during my stock production years, I met with 120-150 actors at periodic daylong casting sessions. Over time I reviewed 50,000 head shots. Many of them, not good. THESE actors’ headshots, however, were great!
HEADSHOTS TODAY…
…too many, still — not very good. More than a few, unfortunately, are awful.
THE FEEDBACK LOOP
Scenario: a young actor shows his/her/their headshots to family and friends. Family and friends love the actor and respond positively: the pictures are great! Except often they aren’t, especially not to casting directors — leaving the actor to learn the hard way that a re-shoot is inevitable.
Unspectacular headshots?
They’re common! In some headshots, the actor shows no visible emotion. This is not the actor’s fault.
