Slim Aarons
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Slim Aarons

United States • 1916 - 2006  437 followers

Photographing attractive people who were doing attractive things in attractive places. 

Biography

Aarons, a legendary American photographer, gained prominence for his unique approach to capturing the glamour and allure of Hollywood and celebrity life. Aarons' work remains a significant influence on celebrity photography and continues to be celebrated in exhibitions and retrospectives around the world. Recently, in December 2024, Vogue featured a curated selection of Aarons' après-ski photographs, highlighting his ability to capture the elegance and leisure of the Alpine lifestyle. These images continue to inspire fashion and travel enthusiasts, reflecting the enduring appeal of Aarons' work.

Enlisting in the U.S. Army at 18, he began his career as a photographer at West Point before serving as a combat photographer during World War II, where he earned a Purple Heart. Reflecting on his experiences, Aarons famously stated that combat had taught him that "the only beach worth landing on was decorated with beautiful, seminude girls tanning in a tranquil sun."

After the war, Aarons relocated to California, where his photography career flourished. He became renowned for his celebrity portraits and captured some of Hollywood's most iconic figures. His most celebrated photograph, Kings of Hollywood (1957), shows Clark Gable, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper, and James Stewart lounging at a bar on New Year's Eve, dressed in formal attire. His work appeared in prestigious magazines such as Life, Town & Country, and Holiday.

Aarons became known for his authentic, unstyled approach to photography, preferring to photograph "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." He never used a stylist or makeup artist, allowing his subjects' natural beauty to shine through. A prime example of this style is his 1970 Poolside Gossip photograph at Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House, which features Nelda Linsk, the house's owner, as one of the models.

In a 2002 interview with The Independent (London), Aarons shared, "I knew everyone. They would invite me to one of their parties because they knew I wouldn't hurt them. I was one of them." His relationships with his subjects were key to his success and candid approach. His personal influence even extended to film; the apartment in Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954), where Jimmy Stewart's photographer character resides, is said to be based on Aarons' own apartment.

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Photography, Coming Ashore, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 101 cm Photography - 59.8 x 39.8 inch

$4,046

Print, Digging for clams, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Print - 101 x 101 cm Print - 39.8 x 39.8 inch

$4,004

Photography, C. Z. Guest, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 29.9 x 20.1 x 0 inch

$4,348

Photography, Saint-Tropez, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch

$5,737

Photography, Dolores Guinness, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography - 20 x 20 inch

$4,131

Photography, Poolside Backgammon, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 29.9 x 39.8 x 0 inch

$4,819

Photography, Bahamas Speed Week, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101 x 76 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.8 x 29.9 x 0 inch

$4,704

Photography, A Colourful Crew, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 154.9 x 129.5 cm Photography - 61 x 51 inch

$4,221

Photography, Poolside Poodle, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 51 x 76 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 29.9 x 0 inch

$4,342

Photography, Pool Party, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch

$4,457

Photography, Snowmass Village, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 cm Photography - 20 x 30 inch

$3,092

Photography, Eleuthera Pool Party, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 cm Photography - 30 x 30 inch

$4,819

Photography, Porto Ercole, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101.6 x 76.2 cm Photography - 40 x 30 inch

$3,774

Photography, Poolside Party, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 cm Photography - 30 x 40 inch

$3,774

Photography, Swimming In The Bahamas, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch

$4,457

Photography, Skiing Holiday, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 cm Photography - 20 x 30 inch

$4,481

Photography, St Tropez Garden, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 cm Photography - 20 x 30 inch

$4,481

Photography, Palm Springs Pool, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101 x 152 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.8 x 59.8 x 0 inch

$6,208

Photography, Leisure In Antibes, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101.6 x 73.7 cm Photography - 40 x 29 inch

$4,469

Photography, Tennis In The Bahamas, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101 x 101 cm Photography - 39.8 x 39.8 inch

$5,737

Photography, Poolside Social, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 29.9 x 39.8 x 0 inch

$4,819

Photography, Saks Fashion Show, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 61 cm Photography - 20 x 24 inch

$4,131

Photography, Skiers at Gstaad, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 cm Photography - 20 x 16 inch

$3,442

Photography, Staying at the Carlton, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 61 x 61 cm Photography - 24 x 24 inch

$4,131

Photography, Summer Picnic, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 cm Photography - 20 x 30 inch

$3,201

Photography, Sports Car Couple, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography - 20 x 20 inch

$4,131

Photography, Winter Pool, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 cm Photography - 30 x 30 inch

$4,819

Photography, Alice In Acapulco, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 101 cm Photography - 59.8 x 39.8 inch

$6,208

Photography, Skiing In Stowe, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 152 cm Photography - 59.8 x 59.8 inch

$7,464

Photography, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.8 x 39.8 x 0 inch

$6,208

Photography, Slim And Sphinx, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101 x 101 cm Photography - 39.8 x 39.8 inch

$6,208

Photography, Hobe Sound Bubble Houses, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.8 x 39.8 x 0 inch

$7,464

Photography, Dimitris Kritsas, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 152 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.8 x 59.8 x 0 inch

$7,464

Photography, Chalet Costi, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 152 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.8 x 59.8 x 0 inch

$7,186

Photography, Party on the Steps, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.8 x 39.8 x 0 inch

$6,208

Photography, Bahamas Signpost, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 101 cm Photography - 59.8 x 39.8 inch

$5,737

Print, Keep your cool, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Print - 121 x 183 cm Print - 47.6 x 72 inch

$5,193

Photography, Poolside Ladies, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 31 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 12.2 x 16.1 x 0 inch

$2,754

Print, Decked in Finery, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Print - 76 x 51 cm Print - 29.9 x 20.1 inch

$3,225

Photography, Life in The Bahamas, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 30 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.1 x 0 inch

$2,754

Photography, Positano Beach, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 51 x 61 x 2 cm Photography - 20.1 x 24 x 0.8 inch

$2,567

Photography, Snorkelling In The Shallows, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76 x 76 cm Photography - 29.9 x 29.9 inch

$3,436

Print, Snowmass Village, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Print - 76 x 101 cm Print - 29.9 x 39.8 inch

$3,617

Photography, Caleta Beach, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76 x 51 cm Photography - 29.9 x 20.1 inch

$3,074

Photography, Deauville Casino, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 30 x 40 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 inch

$2,754

Photography, State Line, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 24 x 24 cm Photography - 9.4 x 9.4 inch

$4,131

Photography, Vuccino And Rava, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 cm Photography - 40 x 60 inch

$4,457

Photography, Palm Beach Idyll, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 40 x 40 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 inch

$4,457

Photography, Capri Holiday, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 40 x 30 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 inch

$3,774

Photography, State Line, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 30 x 30 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

$3,774

Photography, Culinary Heights, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 x 0 cm Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.001 inch

$4,457

Photography, Harbour Island, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 cm Photography - 40 x 60 inch

$4,457

Photography, A Nice Spot For Lunch, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76 x 76 cm Photography - 29.9 x 29.9 inch

$3,436

Photography, Scottsdale Home, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 cm Photography - 30 x 40 inch

$4,819

Photography, Christmas Traffic, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch

$4,457

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Need to know more?
What happened to Slim Aarons?
Slim Aarons, renowned for his glamorous photographs of high society, continued working until his death in 2006 at age 89. His iconic images remain influential in contemporary art and photography.
Are Slim Aarons prints valuable?
Slim Aarons prints can be valuable, especially vintage or limited edition prints with provenance. Their value depends on factors like edition size, condition, signature, and subject matter, with some fetching several thousand dollars at auction.
Where are Slim Aarons photos taken?
Slim Aarons' photos were mainly taken in glamorous locations such as the French Riviera, Palm Beach, Capri, and Hollywood, capturing the lifestyles of the rich and famous. He often photographed luxury resorts, private estates, and exclusive parties.
What is Slim Aarons photography style?
Slim Aarons' photography style is characterized by vibrant, sun-drenched images capturing the glamorous lifestyles of the elite, often in luxurious settings. He focused on candid, yet carefully composed scenes that exude elegance and leisure.