“I have seduced Marilyn Monroe, and she reciprocated”
The exhibition photographer Douglas Kirkland Monroe in bed, Chanel in the Studio and Judy garland in tears.
January 17 at the Center of photography Lumiere brothers opened the exhibition of Douglas Kirkland Behind the scenes. For nearly 60 years, the Kirkland he is a guest photographer on the set of major American films, and earned the nickname “favourite photographer Hollywood”. This images comprise the main part of the exhibition. In addition, Kirkland makes celebrity portraits.
Circled started as an assistant to Irving Penn. His solo career took off in the early 1960-ies, after the successful photo shoots with Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel and other stars. Photos of Chanel and Monroe at the exhibition devoted a separate section.
In an exclusive interview with Forbes Life Douglas Kirkland spoke about the people of Hollywood, 60 years ago and now.
Your finest hour has struck, when you took Elizabeth Taylor for Look magazine in 1961.
At first Elizabeth didn’t want her photographed.
And how did you manage to convince her?
Before shooting we were not acquainted with it. When I finished the interview, I went to Elizabeth and shook my hand and introduced himself.
I said I just got a job at the magazine, then looked her straight in the eye and said, “Just imagine how important this is to me.”
She thought for a moment, and then said, “Come back tomorrow at 7 PM”. And it really was a real rise in my career.
Today you have behind more than 50 years of experience with celebrities. What’s your secret? How do you get people to relax and be themselves?
The photographer should worry for the man he relieves. Make sure that everything is ready. During operation, the details should not distract you. Be careful. Photo session is a one — to-one with another person at a particular point in time. Technical staff should not bother you. Once exposed to light and apply makeup, the rest of the world can wait.
Returning to the story with Elizabeth Taylor, why do you think these pictures have become so popular?
At that time, it was the first photo shoot of Taylor for several months, since she was sick a long time. My photo made the cover of the magazine, and then reprinted in Paris, London and many other cities. It spread around the world.