This
art show marks START SOMA's third anniversary.
So
we invited the world's great music photographers
for an unprecedented exhibition of ROCKSTAR photography.
ROCKSTARS opens THIS THURSDAY -
here is the lineup:
 Baron
Wolman was Rolling Stone magazine’s first chief photographer. Working
from his home studio in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury,
Wolman documented the Summer of Love and the music
that made it famous. The music and musicians of the sixties,
as well as Wolman’s pictures of them have stood
the test of time
– “classic rock” in the fullest sense
of the word.
During the late sixties and early seventies, Wolman
photographed primarily in black & white since Rolling
Stone had no color capability in the early days.
Wolman attributes the intimate nature
of his photographs to the access granted him by the
musicians themselves – the sort of access, he
maintains, that is impossible to gain from today’s
packaged, image-conscious rock stars.
“What happens when I take pictures
at concerts is that I really get involved in the music.
I let the music get into my system so that I can anticipate
what the musician is going to do,” Wolman explains. “But
the really great thing was that I could get onstage
with people, no problem.” His iconic images
include an almost unbelievable collection of rock and
pop royalty: the Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, the Who,
Jimi Hendrix, Iggy Pop, Pink Floyd, Tina Turner, Jim
Morrison, among so many others.
Wolman himself admits, “I have
had such a cool life.”
 In a career that spans over three decades,
Richard E. Aaron has shot still photography for a wide
variety of media, ranging from feature films, television
and video to corporate public relations, entertainment
publicity and album covers. Perhaps best known for his music photography,
he was honored by Modern Photography Magazine as one
of the "10 Best Rock Photographers" in the
world, he has more than 50 album covers to his credit
including "FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE," still the
biggest selling double live LP. He shot the first
photographic rock 'n' roll cover of Time magazine
- Paul McCartney/Wings Over America. All told, his
work has appeared in more than 6,000 magazines, newspapers
and books worldwide.
His extensive work in music photography
(4,000 groups photographed) led to his first tour assignment, "Fleetwood:
The Visitor in Africa" (RCA Records), a tour shot
on location in Ghana West Africa. Similar projects
for many top rock &
roll groups around the world followed. He traveled
through the People's Republic of China for several
months in 1986, where he documented the first Western
rock group to record an album and tour.
Currently, he is working with a variety
of feature films, unit still and gallery photographer
and as director cameraman producing videos on “Behind
The Scenes / The Making Of” for feature film
companies. But still he shoots music, as in music videos,
CD jackets and publicity. A native of New York, Mr.
Aaron and his photo agency have been located in Los
Angeles since 1980.
Richard is a graduate of the School of Visual
Arts (New York City) and of Brooks Institute of
Photography (Santa Barbara, California) BA,BFA,MA.
Michael
Zagaris, known
as 'the Z-man', is not a picture-taker. He
doesn't take photos "of" people because
his viewfinder aims from the inside out. A
centered soul in a yin-yang universe, he offers
the performer's eye view. Zagaris became the
Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin; not vicariously
but actually. He donned the make-up and ran
down the tunnel into the perfect blindness
of stage lights, feeling the electric jolt
of thrill, fear and let's-put-a-show-on with
the artists. As an insider in those days, he
took photographs of what was, not what one
expected to see, and as an insider today he
does the same thing for 21st century bands
and artists. As team photographer for the San
Francisco 49ers, a title he achieved in '73
in a move that makes "chutzpah" sound
weak, and for the Oakland A's, Zagaris is sports'
inside-out shooter. Ankles taped and knee pad-clad,
he's the guy so familiar to the players that
they don't pose for him, they live.
Nevada City artist, writer and advertising
agency owner Dale Smith was born at the age of seventeen
while attending the California College of Arts &
Crafts in Oakland, California. By the time he graduated
in 1968, he bore no resemblance to the son his parents
thought they had raised.
 In
the mid-sixties, classes with one of his professors,
poet Michael McClure, instilled in him a love of words.
At that time Smith also developed an interest in photography
which, coupled with his friendship with McClure, led
him to the doorstep of many Beat Generation poets living
in San Francisco, among them Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence
Ferlinghetti and Philip Whalen. In 1965, Ginsberg arranged
a private session for Smith and fellow photographer Larry
Keenan to photograph Bob Dylan, McClure and himself in
the alley behind City Lights Bookstore. Some of the photos
from this session eventually found their way into Dylan's "Biograph" album.
Smith's photographs also caught the attention of music
entrepreneur Frank Werber, who commissioned the young
photographer to document the unfolding counter culture
and music scenes in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well
as the growing peace movement. A press pass issued by
Werber's company, MGM/Verve, allowed Smith backstage
access to many music performances, including the Monterey
Pop Festival in 1967.
Ernie Paniccioli
Widely regarded as the "Dean of Hip Hop Photographers",
Ernie Paniccioli first made his foray into the culture
in 1973 when he began capturing the ever-present
graffiti art dominating New York City. Armed with
a 35-millimeter camera, Paniccioli has recorded
the entire evolution of Hip Hop. Much in the same
way Gordon Parks recorded the Civil Rights Movement,
or akin to the manner in which James Van De Zee,
the documentary photographer of Harlem in the 1920s,
Paniccioli met the energy and spirit of the times
head-on with his picture-making. And like Edward
S. Curtis' monumental prints of the Native peoples
of North America, Paniccioli, himself a Native
American, has found a beauty and resiliency in
a community often ignored by mainstream society.
From Grandmaster Flash at the Roxy (a popular Manhattan
nightclub of the late 70's and early 1980s), to
the athletic moves of the legendary Rock Steady
Crew, to the fresh faces of Queen Latifah, Tupac
Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, and Lauren
Hill,  Paniccioli
has been at the forefront documenting the greatest
cultural movement since Rock and Roll in the 1950s.
Paniccioli is also a painter, public speaker, and
historian. He has photographed a number of popular
figures beyond Hip Hop, including Frank Sinatra,
Liza Minelli, Jimmy Carter, Andy Warhol, John F.
Kennedy, Jr., Britney Spears, Ricky Martin, and
The Dalai Lama.
The Chief photographer for Word
Up! Magazine from 1989, Paniccioli's work has also
appeared in The New York Times, Time, Newsweek,
Life, Rolling Stone, Spin, Vibe, Ebony, Life, The
Source and XXL.  His television credits
include MTV and VH1.Paniccioli's images can also
be found in numerous books, including: Turn
Up The Volume: A Celebration of Black Music, Rap
and Hip Hop, The Voice of A Generation, and Lift
Every Voice and Sing. He was chosen by KRS1
to be the spokesman for The Temple Of Hip Hop at The
United Nations Hip Hop Peace Conference in
May of 2001. He was also the moderator at the Meeting
Of The Minds at the Zulu Nation 27th Anniversary.
Paniccioli's photography was on display as part
of the sixty-foot facade outside the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame for The Roots, Rhymes and Rage exhibit
in 1999 and a featured part of that same exhibition
at The Brooklyn Museum of Art in 2002.
Paniccioli's book documenting thirty years of his
Hip Hop photography was released in October of
2002 called Who Shot Ya. An upcoming film
called "1 Love" will document his life,
art and times as well as those of Jamel Shabazz
and Joe Conzo.
Ricky Powell, a native New
Yorker, graduated from Hunter College with a B.S.
in physical education. His work has been published
in The New York Times, the New York Post,
the Daily News, The Village Voice, Time, Newsweek, VIBE, The
Source, Rolling Stone, Spin, Details, Paper, Mass
Appeal, Word Up!, Ego Trip, and Grand
Royal, to name a few. Powell’s clients
have included Cannon, MTV, NBC, the Apollo Theater,
Capitol Records, and Weiden + Kennedy, among others.
His work has been exhibited at the Eyejammie Fine
Arts Gallery, New York and Upper Playground, San
Francisco and was featured in “500 of the
Greatest Rock and Roll Photos,” presented
by Kodak. Powell is the author of Public Access:
Ricky Powell Photographs 1985-2005 (Miss Rosen
Editions/powerHouse Books, 2005), Frozade Moments (Eyejammie.com,
2005), Oh Snap!: The Rap Photography of Ricky
Powell (St. Martin’s, 1998) and The
Rickford Files: Classic New York Photographs (St.
Martin’s, 1999). He lives and works in New
York.
Carlos Batts is photographer, filmmaker, curator,
and a provocateur to say the least. Over the past
15 years he as taken the DIY mantra to heart documenting
a variety of sophisticated sub-cultures; music, life
style and art.  Painter,
stylist, make up artist, and set designer have all
been titles he has carried through out the creation
of his vast body of work. Carlos has honed and refined
his artistic sensibilities into a balanced mosaic
of high fashion and photo-collages that encompass
his entire vision.
Carlos has photographed an eclectic
mix of musical artists including: Snoop Dog, Danzig,
Mark Mothersbaugh, DJ QUIK, AFROBOTS, Radiation
4, City High, Crystal Method, Z TRIP, Ozomatli,
Ginuwine, The Distillers, Pig Destroyer, Ink & Dagger,
The Dwarves, LABTEKWON, Dog Fashion Disco, Nikka
Costa, Nebula, AWOL ONE, ONE BLOCK RADIUS and Mastodon.
 Joe Sia was a shooting star, a genuine, hands-down, everyone-agrees-on-this
star at shooting [photographs], and his departure
from this planet in 2003 at the tender age of 57
was too soon for a man of his talent. Born in the
Bronx and a committed Yankees man, Joe loved music
and gravitated around the Fillmore East and the
flower-power youth-culture rock scene from whence
he set out to capture some of the most incredible
sounds of the last half-century. How could Joe
capture sounds on camera film? He did it by focusing
on the faces of the performers and the woozing-oozing
crowd and by giving the background, whether simple
or wild, the importance it deserved in defining
the artist and event. From his first assignment
at Woodstock and his unbelievable up-close shots
of Jimi Hendrix and other stars to his coverage
of modern concerts featuring Limp Bizkit, Red Hot
Chili Peppers and Korn to mention just a few, his
shots put sounds on paper and were snapped up by
publishers for book and magazine covers, producers
for albums and CDs and the stars themselves as
favorite poses. Sia's entire archive consists more
than a quarter of a million photographs that document
almost 35 years of music genre and giants.
Joel Brodsky is perhaps best known for his
infamous photograph of the 1967 “Young Lion” shoot
with Jim Morrison that would later grace the cover
of the 1985 “Best of The Doors” album
release. This photograph of Jim Morrison is probably
the most widely used photo of The Doors collection.
Other famous photographs include shooting the cover
of KISS’s self-titled debut LP.
Raised in Hawaii, based in Los Angeles, Robert
Knight is a long time advertising/travel photographer
who also specializes in the rock and roll music
industry. His career spans from 1968 's to the
present. Constantly working in the music industry
for international record companies, publications,
and musical equipment manufacturers, Robert is
best known for his
"Guitar Legend" archive, having worked
with such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck,
Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton,
to such contemporary artists as John Mayer, Tom
Morello, and John-5.
Robert is also part of Guitar Center's Hollywood
RockWalk team, working alongside RockWalk Director
Dave Weiderman. Robert and partner Maryanne Bilham
have an exhibition on the outside of the more than
150 Guitar Centers around America, which is one
of the largest outdoor gallery shows of original
photographic art. Robert has published several
books: "50 Rock Guitarists" (1995), "Hollywood's
RockWalk, The First Decade"
(1996), and is part of "Led Zeppelin -The
Photographers" (1996).
Robert appears courtesy of the San Francisco
Art Exchange
 Gered
Mankowitz
During the Rolling Stones' formative years from 1965-1967, Gered
Mankowitz was their photographer and friend, not only responsible for some of the band’s
most memorable candid photographs but for shooting the covers of their “Between
the Buttons” and “December Children” albums. He photographed such luminaries
as Paul McCartney, Marianne Faithful, Billy Idol, Small Faces, Gary Glitter,
Dave Edmunds, Annie Lennox, Slade, Duran Duran, Traffic, the Yardbirds, and
Jimi Hendrix. His portraits of Jimi Hendrix were later used for the cover of
his 1993 compilation album “The Ultimate Experience.”
Today Gered Mankowitz is based at his North London studio, taking pictures
for the advertising and music industry. He contributes regularly to Mojo
magazine and continues to photograph bands for album covers such as Oasis,
Verve, Catatonia, Kula Shaker and more. Mankowitz continues to gain global
recognition for his contributions to pop-culture.
Gered
appears courtesy of the San Francisco Art Exchange
 Terry
O’Neill
In a career dating back to the 1960’s, portrait
photographer Terry O’Neill has photographed such luminary rock n' roll
icons as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, as well as such Hollywood idols
as Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, and of course his wife, Faye
Dunaway. He has even photographed the British Royal Family and the family of
the British Prime Minister. He was a feature photographer for such prestigious
publications as Life Magazine and London’s glossy Sunday Times Magazine.
Maryanne Bilham
Maryanne Bilham, known for her photography of famous
celebrities and musicians, believes that photography and music are both “creative
media that constantly explore and project our intuitive abilities...” Maryanne
started her career at the University of Fine Arts in Auckland, New Zealand
. While assisting one of Auckland's leading photographers, she became involved
with the start of the magazine Paper, a one-of-a-kind graphic and photography
publication. Soon after this, she left her antipodean roots to explore new
opportunities in the bustling Asian arena of Hong Kong for 9 years where
she began work in the advertising community and at the Performing Arts Academy.
Traveling most of South East Asia and China , Maryanne photographed some
of their leading musicians and performers, as well as other religious iconography,
ancient ruins and mythical sites. 
Eventually feeling a growing desire to pursue her passion for the rock ‘n’
roll industry, Maryanne decided to base herself in Los Angeles. Since her arrival
in this city, her pathway has led her to assignment work with some of the music
industry's more visible music industry companies, publications and artists
such as U2, the Go-Go’s, and Dishwalla. Maryanne and partner Robert Knight
have photography installations on the outside of 100 guitar centers throughout
the U.S.
Maryanne
appears courtesy of the San Francisco Art Exchange
 David
Wedgebury
David Wedgebury was a photographer for
rock bands including the Rolling Stones and The Who. He is also known
for his portraits including Rod Stewart and other celebrities during the ‘60’s
and ‘70’s.
 Jerry
Schatzberg photographed the covers of Frank Zappa’s "Mothers of Invention"
and "We're Only In It For the Money" albums as well as Bob Dylan’s LP "Blonde
on Blonde." He is renowned for his captivating photography and filmmaking.
Published in notable magazines, Schatzberg has captured intimate portraits
of many notable celebrities and artists including Bob Dylan, Francis Coppola,
Andy Warhol, Arlow Guthrie, Roman Polanski, Fidel Castro, Milos Forman, Jimi
Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and the Rolling Stones. Schatzberg’s photographs can
be found in the pages of Vogue, Glamour, Life, Esquire, and McCall’s.
Jerry Schatzberg was born in Bronx,New York and attended the University
of Miami. He started his career as a freelance photographer, doing fashion
photography and then later pushed on in the 1970s to the medium of film.
He directed films such as “Puzzle of a Downfall Child,” “The Panic in Needle
Park,” and “Scarecrow.” Jerry
Schatzberg has a unique talent for human relationships, something that is
paramount in his art.
Jerry
appears courtesy of the San Francisco Art Exchange
Victoria Smith
Born on the fall equinox (my 1st
claim to fame) in upstate New York, 1 of 8 brothers
and sisters, had a camera since kindergarten (I
liked setting up fashion shoots on the playground),
walked the creeks and fields and had a field car,
danced ballet, tap and jazz for 9 years, wrote
poetry and songs, beauty pageant winner, rebel,
model (yes I did!) .. moved out when I was 14 and
worked at McDonald’s, moved to Boise Idaho
for 4 months when I was 16 .. opened my eyes to
a real peace .. Bob Marley, Crosby, Stills
& Nash and wearing hemp hair-wraps. Got
my diploma and degree in the arts at 19 years old. Got
in my car and traveled America for 4 months. After
meeting folks in the dead of night on a no where
dirt road at the Grand Canyon, I found myself in
the northern California mountains for years, in
love, again running creeks and ridges, making pottery,
getting tan. Did a moonlighting in the Santa
Cruz mountains for 8 months while attending the
Academy of Art in San Francisco. Ditched
school after 1 year, moved into SF, taught gymnastics.
 After
2 weeks in the city in November of 2000, I met
a band through my window, they were staying in
the hotel across the way .. we talked through our
windows, they were playing at the Warfield Theater. Long
story short, Andy Slater, now the president of
Capitol Records
– then the Wallflowers manager, came over
to my apt with Jakub Dylan, Bob’s son, at
the end of the night. He looked at my work
that consisted of non-famous people, invited me
to do some photos on a short tour the Wallflowers
would be having. We never spoke of it again,
and it never happened, but after this night, some
kind of magic happened. I mean there had
been other times where there was leakage of this
same kind of magic, but after this night the floodgates
were opened and I started randomly and regularly
having bands over. I would like to do a portrait
in my bathroom, where the light was good. It
was just life and times see, it was just what was
happening, and then I got to taking it seriously
and I guess I have yet to see where this goes. It’s
not the same greatness when the shots don’t
come at random. It’s not so satisfying
when you HAVE TO get a shot, but the times and
magic level, are constantly a’changin’. Either
way I’ve realized myself a manifestor and
a gypsy for the moment.
I have been the official photographer for the
SXSW Music Festival in Austin Texas for 3 years
and travel regularly to New York, London, Paris
and Dublin and other random places for photo work
for both music and fashion.
ROCKSTARS includes images
from Victoria's Rockstar Scrapbook...
 Karl
Ferris
Karl Ferris took some of the most memorable photos of the
60s, many immortalized forever on album covers of the time. Jimi Hendrix, Donovan
and The Hollies are only a small portion of the bands that Karl Ferris photographed.
In those days access to bands and artists was much easier than it is today,
and some of the most candid and raw photos were taken during these days. Karl
Ferris worked closely with Jimi Hendrix, and it has been said that Ferris's
photos of Jimi are among the best ever taken.
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