Memphis, Mississippi, Color and William Eggleston

Slim Aarons

Increasingly heralded for his influence, Slim Aarons established his place in the Pantheon of great postwar photographers. It was Aarons who perfected, if not invented, the environmental portrait while photographing the international elite in their exclusive playgrounds during the jet-set decades of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, carrying out his self-described mission: to document “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.”

Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and famous both before and after serving as a photographer for the US military magazine “Yank” during World War II. His work has been included in the publications Town and Country, Holiday, Venture and LIFE.

Slim Aarons is internationally known for the positive portrayals he gave to the people he photographed and was invited to high-society gatherings for exactly this reason. His subject matter covered American and European society as well as nobility and both minor and major stars of the day.

Slim Aarons died May 29th, 2006. He was 89 years old.