Philippe Halsman’s name is almost synonymous with the glamorous portraits of actors, actresses, and famous personalities from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, from Marilyn Monroe posing in a corner in a figure-hugging white dress to then-Vice President Richard Nixon playing the piano. A regular photographer for "LIFE Magazine," Halsman completed 101 covers during his tenure.
Indeed, Halsman’s interest in the face was more than just his job. In his autobiography he states: “This fascination with the human face has never left me. Every face I see seems to hide – and sometimes fleetingly to reveal – the mystery of another human being. Later, capturing this revelation became the goal and the passion of my life. I became a collector of the reflections of the innermost self of the people who faced my camera.”
Along with his photographic skill, Halsman had the reported knack for putting a subject at ease through conversation, allowing their public persona to drop, if only for an instant, to reveal Halsman’s sought after “innermost self.” This along with his humor and interest in experimental photography were all ways for Halsman to visually express his sitter’s character.