Icons From before Instagram
The world of photography is rich with talented artists who have both shaped and documented our time. One such talent was American photographer Oscar Abolafia. Since walking the streets of New York at a young age with his camera around his neck, he has managed to portray an almost endless array of celebrities. He has captured some of the most iconic events and people of his time. In fact, he left behind more than 300,000 photos that showcase his talent for finding the right moment to turn a photo into something special. Usually in black and white. But always images that evoke emotion and show the depth of his human experience.
In 2016, he collected the best and most iconic portraits of today's celebrities in the legendary book Icons by Oscar, which contains more than 300 exceptional photos.
They are a testament to an era before Instagram and digital photography. They can be grainy and sometimes blurry. But they clearly show Oscar Abolafia's ability to work with whatever light was available. They often have the feel of press photos. Quick snapshots that capture a specific instant or a surprising moment. Like the portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy smoking a cigarette. Or Elvis Presley in conversation with his bodyguards in Las Vegas.
In fact, the image of Elvis is one of his favorite images. In an interview with Artful Living magazine a year before his death in 2020, he told the story of the photograph:
“I think meeting Elvis Presley was the most memorable for me. I was so in awe of him, and to tell you the truth, I never thought I would actually meet him. It happened almost by accident — or should I call it fate? While I was with The Tonight Show in Los Angeles, I was invited to go to Las Vegas to see the closing night performance of Barbra Streisand. I arrived a bit early to get a feel for the theater, and I happened to see Colonel Parker, Elvis’s lifelong manager in a seat. I went over to him, introduced myself and asked if there was any chance to photograph Elvis on his opening night. The colonel was kind of nonchalant, pointed to the exit door and said, “Young man, I don’t care who you work for or where you come from. Go through that door and you’ll see Elvis!” Sure enough, there was Elvis with his bodyguards — kind, generous and smiling! This is one of my most favorite shots,” he said.
Youth and passion
Oscar Abolafia was born and raised in New York City, where he showed a strong passion for photography at a young age. His interest was sparked by the vibrant energy of the city streets - not to mention the rich diversity of people and cultures that surrounded him. Abolafia began experimenting with simple cameras and quickly discovered he had a unique ability to capture subtle nuances of light and shadow. This became the foundation of his successful career, with virtually every celebrity posing in front of his camera. Or rather: They didn't pose - often these are snapshots that capture a specific moment in time.
"I think my gift is that I capture the moment — the moment when their eyes or their body language tell their stories."
And it really is a 'scroll down memory lane'. Oscar Abolafia has photographed celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Redford, Jacqueline Kennedy, Salvador Dali, Faye Dunaway, Jack Nicholson and Andy Warhol to name but a few.
Not like other paparazzi photographer with giant telephoto lenses hoping to uncover scandals and the like. But rather with a passion and humility that made him respected. Whether it was Elizabeth Taylor or Barbra Streisand, they were - if not friends - at least acquaintances. And on a first name basis.
"I wouldn’t call my relationships with my favorite subjects very close. I strongly believe, at least for me, that a bit of distance creates a more magical and respectful relationship. The relationships were at least close enough that they knew my name and felt comfortable around me."
But the world of celebrity has changed. He almost longs for a time like the 50s when he started his career. "Looking back now, it all seems so simple, and it really was. A telephone call using a dime, a meeting then sending a bouquet of flowers
It was so personal and harmless. No police tape, no circle of personal assistants, no PR people. Many times, I would make an appointment for a photo shoot just between the celebrity and me." he told Artful Living magazine.
No wonder that from the 1950s until the late 1980s, he was a sought-after photographer for major international magazines such as People Magazine, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar. He also took backstage shots for several James Bond films and the epic war film A Bridge Too Far (1977).
Oscar Abolafia passed away on March 30, 2020.
Marilyn Monroe The Last Sitting
2,571 images shot at the Hotel Bel-Air on a warm June evening in 1962 became the last photos ever taken of Marilyn Monroe. The photographer behind the camera was the legendary Bert Stern. And the result was simply outstanding.
A late June afternoon in 1962, Marilyn Monroe arrived at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. Alone. And five hours late. But ready to throw away her inhibitions in front of the camera. Not least because legendary photographer Bert Stern was in charge of the 12-hour photoshoot. A session that was followed up with two more meetings over the next two days.
The result was nothing short of magical: the 2,571 portraits revealed a Marilyn Monroe who was completely unreserved yet utterly glamorous in frilly scarves, pink silk, birdcage veils and an iconic black velvet dress designed by Christian Dior.
Collectively, the many images were called The Last Sitting.
The intimate portraits would prove to be the public's last glimpse into the Hollywood icon's life before her untimely death just six weeks later.
"Bert captured Marilyn in a series of images so comprehensive," Bert Stern's wife, Shannah Laumeister Stern, has said. "He could see beyond her outer and ethereal beauty and capture the essence of Marilyn Monroe. She trusted Bert and let go on camera in ways she had never done before. She was free and playful, and Bert captured her with the reverence and passion he felt. They had a relationship through what they both related to best: The lens of the camera."
Bert Stern himself considered Marilyn Monroe the first and only American goddess. "She was 'Our Goddess of Love'. She is gone, yet she is everywhere. Stars die, but their light burns forever. Through the magic of photography, the light of Marilyn Monroe still reaches us."
Real-life Mad Man
Bert Stern was born in New York in 1929, dropped out of school at 16 and got a job in the mailroom of a local magazine.
This was his destiny. He later became art director at Flair Magazine, where he learned how to develop film and produce contact sheets so photographers could select the best images.
He later picked up the camera himself and built a career as one of the best commercial and portrait photographers of the time. He was, if anything, the real-life 'Mad Man'.
But he had a vice. A vice that ended his first marriage to ballerina Allegra Kent. He was deeply addicted to amphetamines. Nevertheless, he managed to land a golden contract with Vogue. A contract that, among other things, meant he could fill ten pages of the magazine with images of his own choosing.
The choice fell on Marilyn Monroe, who was by far America's biggest star. And so, the deal was struck with the movie diva at the Hotel Bel-Air for what would become known as The Last Sitting. The photos were not made public until long after her death. To be precise, 30 years later in 1992.
In 1970, Bert Stern moved to Spain to kick his drug addiction. It wasn't until the late 70s that he returned to the US, where he turned to portrait and fashion photography.
But he couldn't leave the pills alone: in 1979, together with journalist Lawrence Chilnick, he published The Pill Book. An A-Z handbook with pictures of most prescription drugs in the US. It was quite a success, selling 18 million copies.
Bert Stern died at the age of 83 in 2013.