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| The original Elvis as captured by the original Elvis photographer, dead at 85 | The original Elvis as captured by the original Elvis photographer, dead at 85 |
| (4 months later) | |
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| There was a time before the King was the King. | There was a time before the King was the King. |
| In early 1956 at the tender age of 21, Elvis Presley was relatively unknown and on the verge of becoming a worldwide phenomenon — an object of sensual frenzy — unlike any performer who had come before. Even freelance photographer Alfred Wertheimer, when receiving an assignment to photograph Presley, did not know of him. “I’d never heard of the man,” he told Time in 2013. | In early 1956 at the tender age of 21, Elvis Presley was relatively unknown and on the verge of becoming a worldwide phenomenon — an object of sensual frenzy — unlike any performer who had come before. Even freelance photographer Alfred Wertheimer, when receiving an assignment to photograph Presley, did not know of him. “I’d never heard of the man,” he told Time in 2013. |
| That soon changed. Hired to shoot publicity photos for RCA records, Wertheimer spent 10 days shooting more than 3,800 large-format images of the young singer. The now famous photographs intimately capture the years before the jumpsuits, scarves, sequins and ultimately drug-addled squalor. | That soon changed. Hired to shoot publicity photos for RCA records, Wertheimer spent 10 days shooting more than 3,800 large-format images of the young singer. The now famous photographs intimately capture the years before the jumpsuits, scarves, sequins and ultimately drug-addled squalor. |
| Wertheimer died at age 85 of natural causes at his New York apartment. Priscilla Presley told the Associated Press: “There has been no other photographer that Elvis ever allowed to get as up close and personal in his life through photos as he did with Alfred … I’m deeply saddened by the death of Alfred Wertheimer. He was a dear friend and special soul. I feel he was a gift for all who knew him, especially Elvis Presley.” | Wertheimer died at age 85 of natural causes at his New York apartment. Priscilla Presley told the Associated Press: “There has been no other photographer that Elvis ever allowed to get as up close and personal in his life through photos as he did with Alfred … I’m deeply saddened by the death of Alfred Wertheimer. He was a dear friend and special soul. I feel he was a gift for all who knew him, especially Elvis Presley.” |
| Wertheimer first met Presley backstage at CBS Studios in New York before Presley’s appearance on the Dorsey Brothers’ “Stage Show.” Wertheimer recalled his introduction: “Elvis essentially grunted … and didn’t even look up. I thought to myself, that’s okay with me — I’m the fly on the wall. He doesn’t have to be sociable.” | Wertheimer first met Presley backstage at CBS Studios in New York before Presley’s appearance on the Dorsey Brothers’ “Stage Show.” Wertheimer recalled his introduction: “Elvis essentially grunted … and didn’t even look up. I thought to myself, that’s okay with me — I’m the fly on the wall. He doesn’t have to be sociable.” |
| Both men were quiet and introspective and seemed to get along. After photographing his performance, Wertheimer continued to shoot, following Presley back to his hotel. Wertheimer photographed Presley opening fan mail and combing his prodigious hair. Wertheimer told Time: “The wonderful thing about Elvis … was that he permitted closeness. Later on, I found out he also made the girls cry. Those were the two qualities that made him different from other performers I had met. Others would let you to come within six or eight feet, but that was it. They’d get nervous, or they’d start to ham it up. Not Elvis. He was always just himself.” | Both men were quiet and introspective and seemed to get along. After photographing his performance, Wertheimer continued to shoot, following Presley back to his hotel. Wertheimer photographed Presley opening fan mail and combing his prodigious hair. Wertheimer told Time: “The wonderful thing about Elvis … was that he permitted closeness. Later on, I found out he also made the girls cry. Those were the two qualities that made him different from other performers I had met. Others would let you to come within six or eight feet, but that was it. They’d get nervous, or they’d start to ham it up. Not Elvis. He was always just himself.” |
| Later that year, Wertheimer continued photographing the King, traveling to Richmond to capture a performance, which resulted in the photograph “The Kiss.” | Later that year, Wertheimer continued photographing the King, traveling to Richmond to capture a performance, which resulted in the photograph “The Kiss.” |
| When first snapping the photograph, Wertheimer was dissatisfied with the lighting, so he moved to get make a better frame. He told the Smithsonian about making the picture: | When first snapping the photograph, Wertheimer was dissatisfied with the lighting, so he moved to get make a better frame. He told the Smithsonian about making the picture: |
| “Excuse me, coming through.” I squeeze past the two of them. Again they don’t pay attention to me because they’re like hypnotizing each other. I’m now set on the landing facing the two of them, and I’m setting myself with the frame. It’s a fairly decent composition, and I’m waiting for something to happen within my frame. She says to him: “Elvis, I’ll betcha can’t kiss me,” and she sticks out her tongue just a teeny bit. And he says, “I’ll betcha I can,” in a very masculine, cool way. And he then approaches the kiss, he’s got his tongue stuck out just a wee bit, and he overshoots the mark. I didn’t realize that till I developed my film later on. He bent her nose, you see, a very romantic view. So now he backs off coolly, and tries it a second time, comes in for a perfect landing, and that’s the end of that. That tenth of a second became history. | “Excuse me, coming through.” I squeeze past the two of them. Again they don’t pay attention to me because they’re like hypnotizing each other. I’m now set on the landing facing the two of them, and I’m setting myself with the frame. It’s a fairly decent composition, and I’m waiting for something to happen within my frame. She says to him: “Elvis, I’ll betcha can’t kiss me,” and she sticks out her tongue just a teeny bit. And he says, “I’ll betcha I can,” in a very masculine, cool way. And he then approaches the kiss, he’s got his tongue stuck out just a wee bit, and he overshoots the mark. I didn’t realize that till I developed my film later on. He bent her nose, you see, a very romantic view. So now he backs off coolly, and tries it a second time, comes in for a perfect landing, and that’s the end of that. That tenth of a second became history. |
| “Excuse me, coming through.” I squeeze past the two of them. Again they don’t pay attention to me because they’re like hypnotizing each other. I’m now set on the landing facing the two of them, and I’m setting myself with the frame. It’s a fairly decent composition, and I’m waiting for something to happen within my frame. She says to him: “Elvis, I’ll betcha can’t kiss me,” and she sticks out her tongue just a teeny bit. And he says, “I’ll betcha I can,” in a very masculine, cool way. And he then approaches the kiss, he’s got his tongue stuck out just a wee bit, and he overshoots the mark. I didn’t realize that till I developed my film later on. He bent her nose, you see, a very romantic view. So now he backs off coolly, and tries it a second time, comes in for a perfect landing, and that’s the end of that. That tenth of a second became history. | “Excuse me, coming through.” I squeeze past the two of them. Again they don’t pay attention to me because they’re like hypnotizing each other. I’m now set on the landing facing the two of them, and I’m setting myself with the frame. It’s a fairly decent composition, and I’m waiting for something to happen within my frame. She says to him: “Elvis, I’ll betcha can’t kiss me,” and she sticks out her tongue just a teeny bit. And he says, “I’ll betcha I can,” in a very masculine, cool way. And he then approaches the kiss, he’s got his tongue stuck out just a wee bit, and he overshoots the mark. I didn’t realize that till I developed my film later on. He bent her nose, you see, a very romantic view. So now he backs off coolly, and tries it a second time, comes in for a perfect landing, and that’s the end of that. That tenth of a second became history. |
| He then photographed the recording sessions for “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel” in New York. Later, after his assignment was over, he continued photographing and went to Memphis on his own dime. Wertheimer captured an important time for rock’n roll, but it was the intimacy and unrestricted accesses to Presley in his photographs that make them special. | He then photographed the recording sessions for “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel” in New York. Later, after his assignment was over, he continued photographing and went to Memphis on his own dime. Wertheimer captured an important time for rock’n roll, but it was the intimacy and unrestricted accesses to Presley in his photographs that make them special. |
| “Alfred Wertheimer always used to say, ‘If your pictures are boring, get closer,’” Nina Wiener, a co-editor of a book of Wertheimer’s work, told the Associated Press. “And he lived up to that rule, getting inside Elvis’s world like no other photographer ever could.” | “Alfred Wertheimer always used to say, ‘If your pictures are boring, get closer,’” Nina Wiener, a co-editor of a book of Wertheimer’s work, told the Associated Press. “And he lived up to that rule, getting inside Elvis’s world like no other photographer ever could.” |
| Wertheimer’s photographs of Elvis have been published widely, including the book “Elvis and the Birth of Rock And Roll,” and an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery titled “Elvis at 21, Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer.” | Wertheimer’s photographs of Elvis have been published widely, including the book “Elvis and the Birth of Rock And Roll,” and an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery titled “Elvis at 21, Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer.” |
| Publisher, curator, and collaborator Chris Murray told Vanity Fair: “Elvis was the first real rock ’n’ roll star. And Al was the first great rock ’n’ roll photographer.” | Publisher, curator, and collaborator Chris Murray told Vanity Fair: “Elvis was the first real rock ’n’ roll star. And Al was the first great rock ’n’ roll photographer.” |