Slim Aarons
  • Biography
  • Artworks
  • Movements

Slim Aarons

United States • 1916 - 2006  582 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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All artworks

Photography

Print

Photography, Sunbathing In Antibes, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,350

Photography, Sunbathing In Antibes, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 121.9 x 182.9 cm Photography . 48 x 72 inch

€5,200

Photography, Sunbathing In Barbados, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€4,600

Print, Vuccino and Rava, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Print . 101.6 x 152.4 cm Print . 40 x 60 inch

€3,550

Photography, Sundowners, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 60 x 60 cm Photography . 23.6 x 23.6 inch

€5,550

Photography, Beach At St. Tropez, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€4,600

Photography, Villa Nirvana, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€2,850

Photography, Villa Vera, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,710

Photography, Villa Vera, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,990

Photography, Villa Vera, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,420

Photography, Villa Vera, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,990

Photography, Haiti Holiday, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,420

Photography, Haiti Holiday, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,710

Photography, Haiti Holiday, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,990

Photography, Olimpia Hruska, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography . 20 x 20 inch

€3,420

Photography, Olimpia Hruska, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 61 x 61 cm Photography . 24 x 24 inch

€3,420

Photography, Marbella Club, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography . 20 x 20 inch

€3,420

Photography, Marbella Club, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 61 x 61 cm Photography . 24 x 24 inch

€3,420

Photography, Harbour Island, Bahamas, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€2,850

Photography, Poolside In Kenya, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,710

Photography, The High Life, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,710

Photography, The High Life, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,990

Photography, Poolside In Kenya, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,990

Photography, Marbella Club, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 76.2 x 76.2 cm Photography . 30 x 30 inch

€3,990

Photography, Saint-Tropez Beach, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,550

Photography, Marbella Club, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 101.6 x 101.6 cm Photography . 40 x 40 inch

€3,480

Photography, Poolside Service, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 101.6 x 101.6 cm Photography . 40 x 40 inch

€3,690

Photography, Yacht Holiday, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, The High Life, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, A Colourful Crew, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, Staying At The Carlton, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,125

Photography, Poolside In Kenya, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, Andros Island, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 101.6 x 101.6 cm Photography . 40 x 40 inch

€3,690

Photography, Saint-Tropez Beach, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, Haiti Holiday, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, Monte Mano, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,125

Photography, Marisa Berenson, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, Eye Of The Beholder, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€3,690

Photography, Villa Nirvana, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€5,140

Photography, Harbour Island, Bahamas, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€5,140

Photography, Saint-Tropez Swimmer, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€4,650

Photography, Olimpia Hruska, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 76.2 x 76.2 cm Photography . 30 x 30 inch

Sold

Photography, Bahamas Speed Week, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 51 x 41 cm Photography . 20.1 x 16.1 inch

Sold

22/23

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