Photographer Crush: Mark Shaw

Most of you all are probably familiar with the work of Slim Aarons, but have you heard of the photographer Mark Shaw?  He was a celebrity/lifestyle photographer who began his career at Harper's Bazaar magazine in 1946.  He went on to work for LIFE magazine as a freelance photographer for several years, but is most well known for being the "unofficial" photographer of the Kennedy family.  Here's a small sampling of my favorite images by Shaw:

Lee Radziwill wearing Dior, 1962:

Model Jane Sprague wearing Fath, photographed in 1953:

Coco Chanel at age 74, lounging in her Paris apartment, 1957:

Nico, lead singer of the Velvet Underground, photographed with her dachshunds in the home of designer Henry Samuel in 1960:

A sultry ad shot by Shaw for U.S. Cruise Lines in 1962:

Model Christine Mayer exiting the boucherie in St. Tropez, 1961:

While Slim's photos were often taken at beach or poolside locales, capturing the American elite reveling in their relaxation, Shaw's photos are more high fashion and artistic in their composition (at least in my very humble opinion).  Here are a few photos from a Vanity Fair lingerie advertising campaign Mark shot over a ten year period that garnered a lot of attention and won several photography awards:

Mark Shaw was also known as of the first photographers to use color film when shooting the runway and backstage at couture shows:

As mentioned above, Mark Shaw had a very close relationship with JFK and Jackie Kennedy Onassis and took several photographs of the family, both during their time in the White House and after:

Mark Shaw himself:

Interested in purchasing a Mark Shaw photograph for your home?  Liz O'Brien gallery in New York offers them here and they are available on 1st Dibs here.