Unveiling Slim Aarons’s Life and Legacy

Dolores del Río (top) and friend vacationing in Guaymas, 195

Interview by Oman Morí

Copy Edited by Melis Ozdemir

Shawn Waldron, a book editor and archival historian, meticulously examined the life and work of one of the 20th century's most celebrated yet enigmatic lifestyle photographers. Collaborating closely with Getty Images, Waldron assumes the role of editor, overseeing the creation of an exceptionally comprehensive Slim Aarons book. With Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection, we explore the photographer's persona and uncover the mysteries of his concealed upbringing, along with his safekeeping of tens of thousands of negatives in London.

In this interview, we embark on a journey through the meticulous and thorough process of uncovering Aaron's life and distinctive style. From Aarons's early days as a war photographer to his contributions during Hollywood's golden era, we peel back the layers of this iconic photographer's remarkable career, through the voice of Shawn Waldron:

Slim Aarons’ Archive: A Treasure Trove

Getty Images acquired Slim Aarons’s archive in 1997 when its founder, Mark Getty, purchased it while Slim was still alive. Slim stored his massive archive in the attic of his Westchester County home near New York City. Mark initiated the transfer process of Slim's entire archive to Getty's collection, now located in London.

Slim quayside in Hawaii during the filming of Mister Roberts, 1955

Slim Aarons’s photography journey began as a war photographer, primarily in black and white. He later worked for Life magazine, which focused on black-and-white photography. However, when he began working for Holiday magazine, a travel publication, Slim took a significant step into the color photography world. He embraced the shift to color, believing it enhanced his work's quality. This bold choice to depart from Life magazine, despite its prestigious status in the 1950s, demonstrated his dedication to color photography. During Slim’s lifetime, he primarily worked as an editorial magazine photographer and didn’t produce prints for sale, given the relatively modest demand for such works during that era. Photographers typically specialize in either fine art or commercial photography. Nowadays, photographers often engage in both realms, switching between them.

I assumed responsibility for managing Slim Aaron’s archive five years ago at Getty Images. Abrams, the publisher, expressed interest in producing two books on Slim. The first book, Slim Aarons: Style, departed from previous thematic approaches. Instead of focusing solely on fashion, it explored lifestyle encompassing clothing, cars, architecture, interior design, jewelry, travel, food, and more. We collaborated with Kate Betts, the former Editor-in-Chief at Harper’s Bazaar, who became a co-author. She contributed an introductory essay and some captions. Kate suggested organizing the book in a seasonal calendar format to reflect Slim's work pattern. It featured four chapters - Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, providing a chronological journey through Slim's four-decade career. Slim Aarons: Style was published in the fall of 2021.

Catholic nuns feeding Italian war orphans, 1945

A Classic American Tale of Reinvention

The book I worked on was intended as a luxurious edition, spanning 432 pages, almost twice the size of his previous works, containing nearly 500 pictures. I aimed to delve into the life of Slim Aaron, the man, and uncover his intriguing biography. Slim’s complicated childhood, which he kept secret throughout his life, was a significant focus. Even his wife and daughter were unaware of the truth until after his passing when family members contacted them. Born to Jewish immigrant parents, Slim grew up in a tenement building on the Lower East Side and was separated from his parents at a young age. He reinvented himself during World War II, entering as George and emerging as Slim. This transformation was a classic American tale of reinvention.

Researching his upbringing involved extensive digging, conversations with family members, and sifting through archives, even using resources like ancestry.com and the War Department’s records to trace his lineage back to Lithuania. Uncovering details about his brother's suicide and his mother's institutionalization were previously unknown revelations. The book also explored how Slim built his career and became the celebrated photographer he was. Even without a background of privilege or wealth, he skillfully navigated elite circles. To do so, he concealed his Jewish heritage, often adopting a waspy persona and continental European accent to fit in. He had an insatiable curiosity, was self-taught, and constantly enriched himself by visiting museums, listening to classical music and jazz, watching classic films, and engaging with actors, actresses, and directors during his time in Hollywood.

Graffiti on the wall of Hitler’s chancellery following his death.

As his career flourished, he continued to study and learn, driven by a deep curiosity about people and their motivations. Slim, standing at 6’4”, earned his nickname Slim but could move around quietly and discreetly, observing scenes unfold and capturing moments with incredible instincts. From his early days as a war photographer to mingling with the American and European elite, his journey was fascinating and inspiring.

Mingling with Hollywood’s Elite

After World War II, Slim and his army friend, Pulitzer Prize-winning illustrator Bill Mauldin, ventured to the West Coast to find jobs. Slim didn’t have strong ties in New York, so he sought opportunities in Hollywood. Many photographers and magazine editors who had collaborated during the war assisted one another in the post-war era. Bill and others helped Slim enter the Hollywood scene by introducing him to MGM and the renowned Hollywood studio photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull. Slim gained experience and connections while assisting Bull.

Milaneseholidaymakers on the Italian Riviera, 1956

Through his assignments for the studios, Slim began to mingle with Hollywood’s elite. They would invite him to their homes and weekend parties. Slim also built a friendship with Mike Romanoff, a well-known restaurateur whose establishment was a celebrity hotspot in the 1950s. This network of connections extended to people running restaurants, hotels, resorts, and more, and he realized the value of these sources for gathering information about who was in town, hotspots, and social events worldwide.

Slim’s approach was always about making people look good, not chasing sensational stories. He earned trust because people knew he had their best interests at heart. He played the long game, thinking ahead about his reputation and relationships. He was quick, professional, and relied on his instincts, a skill he honed as a war photographer. Slim adopted the Leica camera, which was smaller, faster, and more mobile than the bulky 4x5-inch cameras used during the war. Even in the military, Slim’s charisma allowed him to wear civilian clothes and gain entry to places and clubs where enlisted men weren't typically allowed. His ability to charm and connect with people enabled him to transition from hanging out in the officers' club to socializing at Clark Gable's house, showcasing his remarkable skill set.

Aarons’s vast and invaluable archives

When Mark Getty initially contemplated acquiring Slim Aarons’s archive, it marked a critical moment in the early history of Getty Images. Founded in 1995, the company was still in its nascent stages, with the core concept of licensing pictures through the Internet—a novel idea at the time.

James Mason and Barbara Bel Geddes making the film noir Caught, 1948

The photography business then operated predominantly through phone calls, catalogs, and physical prints, but Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein envisioned digital delivery via the Internet. They sought to

gather assets to make this idea a reality. The breakthrough came when someone told Mark about Slim Aarons and his archive. Mark was familiar with Slim’s work, having photographed members of his family years earlier.

Slim, who had retired by then and was in his 80s, was open to selling his archive. He had been discreetly exploring opportunities to do so. One distinctive aspect of Slim's career was that he never signed away his copyrights, maintaining ownership of all his work. While this choice might have limited his immediate income compared to staff photographers, it preserved the independence and value of his work.

During Mark Getty’s visit to Slim’s archive, he was captivated by the vast and relatively unknown collection. Most of it had been tucked away in boxes, largely forgotten by the public. Mark recognized that this archive could significantly enrich Getty Images’ content, filling a unique niche. Slim’s archive covered the upper class, aristocracy, and high society with depth, breadth, and longevity unmatched by other photographers. Slim consistently documented this world from the 1950s through the 1990s, making his archive a remarkable and invaluable addition to the collection of Getty.

Salvador Dalí at Costa Brava, Spain, 1970

Attractive people do attractive things in attractive places.

Slim’s experiences as a combat photographer during World War II profoundly influenced his career. After spending six years in this role and narrowly surviving, he developed a deep aversion to conflict photography. Unlike many of his peers who continued to cover wars, Slim decided against it, believing that people deserved something different. This decision led to his famous mantra of photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.

Slim pursued this approach for 40 years, although the early years were challenging. He hustled to build his career, first in Hollywood and then in Italy, where he worked exclusively for Life magazine. Upon returning to New York, he focused on Broadway photography, catering to producers' needs for headshots and action shots. A significant connection was made when Slim met Leland Howard, a renowned producer, which led to opportunities to photograph up-and-coming actors and actresses on Broadway. This network of contacts began to open doors for Slim.
In the mid-1950s, his career took a significant turn when he started working for Holiday magazine. His close friendship with Frank Zachary, the art director at Holiday and later the editor-in-chief at Town and Country, was instrumental in shaping Slim’s career. Frank not only protected Slim but also presented him with numerous opportunities. Their collaboration was a mutual advantage, and Slim's lasting success in the industry owes much to his association with Frank Zachary.

Spring sun at Gstaad, 1961

A Historian’s Dream Project

You won’t believe this, but Slim Aaron has a massive archive with approximately 750,000 photos. We’ve only managed to digitize about 5,000 of them; there’s still much more to explore. When we signed a two-book deal, I knew I had to dive deep into Slim's work.

First, I embarked on extensive research. I scoured libraries and archives to track down every published story Slim had worked on, from his days with Look magazine to his later work with Life, Holiday, Town and Country, Travel and Leisure, and more. It was a historian’s dream project.

Slim’s photos aren’t just about documenting events but also about style and design. So, I focused on images that captured that essence. I made several trips to Slim’s archive in London, working closely with the archive staff. Slim had organized his work geographically because he traveled extensively. It facilitated exploring his photos from specific places over the years.

His archive was impressively well-kept, with pictures arranged by location. This organization allowed me to immerse myself in the evolution of various places through Slim’s lens. The editing process was

meticulous. I initially pulled over a thousand photos, including low-resolution scans. Then, I refined the selection to 250 pictures for the style book and around 450 for the new book. But it wasn't just about old photos; we also included new scans to keep things fresh.

A fantastic team in London handled color correction and production. They had been working on Slim’s photos since they arrived at Getty in the 90s. The color correction was particularly critical, as Slim’s signature style had a distinct saturated look, thanks to their expertise. We went through multiple rounds of proofreading to ensure that the color was just right in both books. The first book required three rounds of proofing, while the new one needed four. It was a labor-intensive but essential process to present Slim Aarons’s work in the best possible light for our audience.

Pradovisitorsviewing Velázquez’s masterpiece Las Meninas via a mirror hung across the room, 1950s

The Future of Slim Aarons’s Archives

As for the future of Slim Aarons’s archives, my focus is shifting towards exhibitions to showcase his work. We have a show scheduled at the Stanley Wise Gallery in New York in November, and I'm exploring the possibility of localized exhibitions in places Slim frequented, like Palm Springs or the south of France. These exhibitions could provide a more in-depth look at specific locations or themes within Slim’s vast archive.

I believe Slim’s work resonates with contemporary audiences because of its authenticity. There’s a rejection of overly commercial or slick images today, and Slim’s work, even though decades old, retains a sense of ease and naturalness. He worked without stylists or makeup artists, capturing people in their environments and clothes. The images feel genuine, relaxed, and comfortable, with everyone enjoying themselves. There’s a timeless appeal to his work, and it doesn’t rely heavily on nostalgia. Despite being highly stylized, it feels effortless and authentic, making it relatable and appealing to modern viewers. Slim was an intuitive photographer who worked with available light, adapting his style to different times of the day and lighting conditions. He wasn’t always technically perfect, but his instincts and ability to capture moments were exceptional.

Donna Stefanella Vanni Calvello di San Vicenzo in the Hall of Mirrors at her family’s palazzo, Palermo, 1984

Shawn Waldron’s work

I entered the world of photography through my archival background. In the late 1990s, I worked at a stock photography agency in New York, Corvus, where I wrote captions for archival photos. This experience ignited my passion for photography archives. After gaining experience at a museum photo archive, I pursued formal studies in library science and archives. Subsequently, I spent 13 years at Conde Nast, managing photo archives, diving deeper into photography, and venturing into curation.

In 2009, I curated an exhibition featuring Spanish illustrator Eduardo García Benito, marking my entry into curation. I continued to expand my curation work, even establishing a gallery within Conde Nast offices, curating six shows. In 2016, I left Conde Nast. In 2017, I joined Getty Images as a curator, overseeing exhibitions at their London gallery until it closed due to COVID-19. My archival background and knowledge of fashion and popular photography continue to influence my work.