Slim Aarons was a celebrated American photographer who chronicled the leisurely lifestyle of the rich and famous in his captivating shots of beguiling figures in luxurious environments. Slim Aarons’ prints of the iconic poolside series are some of the most candid portraits of the 20th century.
Slim Aarons was a celebrated American photographer who chronicled the leisurely lifestyle of the rich and famous in his captivating shots of beguiling figures in luxurious environments. Slim Aarons’ prints of the iconic poolside series are some of the most candid portraits of the 20th century.
Aarons was born and raised in New York. He began taking pictures at the age of eighteen, after enlisting in the US Army, where he served as an official combat photographer during WWII. In a career that spanned six decades, Aarons’ camera lens moved from soldiers to stars and celebrities. The photographer claimed that the only beaches worth photographing were "decorated with beautiful, semi-nude girls tanning in a tranquil sun." In presenting glimpses of the rich and famous engrossed in leisurely pursuits, Aarons exposes the high life and allows his audience to experience it vicariously. Aarons’ intimately candid scenes have given him an era-defining legacy as one of the most influential photographers of his generation. Over the course of his 50 year career, Aarons was a regular contributor to magazines such as Life, Town & Country, Vogue and Holiday and received an exclusive look into the lives of figures such as the Kennedys, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly.
"They would invite me to one of their parties because they knew I wouldn't hurt them. I was one of them."
In 1997 Mark Getty of Getty Images bought Aarons’ entire archive of photographs and published a book of his work, 'Poolside with Slim Aarons', a decade later.
Fritz Mitchell's documentary about Aarons, 'Slim Aarons: The High Life' was released in 2017.
Aarons' assistant Laura Hawk said the photographer could 'court and charm' celebrities without 'being mesmerised by them.'
Aarons earned a Purple Heart as a combat photographer.
