Slim Aarons American photographer Date of Birth: 29.10.1916 Country: USA

Biography of Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons, born George Allen Aarons, was an American photographer known for his iconic images of the rich and famous. He was born in 1916 in Montrose, New York. Aarons began his career in photography while serving in the army, and during World War II, he became a military photojournalist.

Aarons experienced the horrors of war firsthand and developed a strong dislike for war photography. When he was offered the opportunity to cover the American landing in Korea, he famously joked, "I'm only interested in the beaches where girls are sunbathing."

Interestingly, Aarons was genuinely interested in beaches with sunbathing girls. Beautiful women in swimsuits became a prominent theme in his work. Aarons' photographs featured the rich and famous, including celebrities, politicians, presidents, businessmen, and influential families. After the war, he moved to California, and his photographs started appearing on the covers of magazines such as Life, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Holiday.

Aarons' photographs exuded a sense of serene happiness and captured the self-assuredness and optimism of his subjects. His images showcased the Hollywood smiles, captivating beauty of women, and the strength and confidence of men. Soon, no social event was complete without Aarons capturing it with his camera, and everyone was satisfied with the results.

Interestingly, Aarons, who never considered himself a photographer, never worked in a studio or retouched his photos. He didn't delve into the inner world of his models or ponder over their stories. Slim simply raised his camera, and his clients were always pleased with the outcome.

As the self-proclaimed "court photographer," Aarons always jokingly asked if there was a rule that photographers must capture tragedies, dramas, unhappy children, and cities in ruins. He preferred to photograph "beautiful people doing beautiful things in beautiful places."

Despite photographing a wide range of stars, Aarons had a particular attachment to one model — the infamous gangster Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, the creator of the notorious Syndicate. Aarons was willing to follow Luciano anywhere, and he had a vast collection of photographs featuring him.

Throughout his life, Slim followed his cheerful motto: "Photograph attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." He passed away on May 31, 2006, at his home in Montrose at the age of 89.

Aarons' creative legacy includes several books, including "A Wonderful Time: An Intimate Portrait of the Good Life" (1974), "Slim Aarons: Once Upon a Time" (2003), "Slim Aarons: A Place In the Sun" (2005), and "Poolside with Slim Aarons" (2007).