The World’s Finest Headshot Studio
Selfie-assured: Photographer James J. Kriegsmann, the unaccustomed target of his own lens, posed in the Dutch angle style of the period.
Portrait studios have long been woven into the fabric of American life. In years past, nearly every town had at least one storefront studio adorned with an elegant script sign and large, framed photographs on display in the window. I vividly recall my own experience at around age 4, slicked-back hair, nattily-attired in a crisp white shirt topped off with cufflinks and clip-on bowtie. Before me, an animated gentleman with one hand clutching a cable attached to a giant camera and, with the other, a stuffed bear that he waved around. That photograph exists somewhere. Its white border now tinged yellow with age, the heavy, deckle-edged paper slightly curled—a representation of my childhood self in two-dimensions, one small moment in the arc of life. The crystallized silver halide embedded in the paper that yields silky smooth and subtle gradations, immaculately printed by an artisan’s skilled hands. All families had portraits like these as a right of passage.
James J. Kriegsmann was one such studio, albeit in a league of its own. Located on West 46th Street in Times Square, it was considered the world’s premier headshot studio for four decades. A Jewish Austrian émigré, Kriegsmann was the only photographer in New York City at that time willing to accept Black entertainers, incredible as that sounds. His portraits catalog a Who’s Who of American music legends from the 1930s through the ’60s, including Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Slide Hampton, Ray Charles, and BB King, among countless others. His reputation among Harlem’s elite cemented his status as the official in-house photographer for the legendary Cotton Club. His shots are radiant in their originality, sparkling with optimism. His command of light and composition is a master class in the art of portraiture. The dexterity he deployed in capturing enchanting likenesses with a big, unwieldy 8x10 film camera is a wonder to behold.
The Stars, Aligned: From left, Bob Eberly of the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra; Dinah Washington; Frank Sinatra; Fats Domino; Hazel Scott; unidentified.
It’s worth noting the extraordinary challenges posed by those wonderfully arcane 8x10 view cameras. First, they are enormous and heavy and require massive light sources. Like other photographers of the era, Kriegsmann worked with Hollywood-style floodlights, not the conveniently portable flash heads we have today. Exposure times likely took several seconds, posing a high risk of motion blur. He would have used a bulb on a long cable, wandering about, searching for the perfect angle and optimal moment to release the shutter. Those far-off gazes are actually trained on Kriegsmann himself, eliciting intensity in the eyes, teasing from them their best selves onto his oversized negatives. Counting out the time in his head as the film exposed, accuracy assured by only a photovoltaic light meter—and his experience.
Instant film for checking exposure was years away, and wasting expensive sheet film was out of the question. In fact, only a few exposures were made during a sitting, in stark contrast to the latitude we’re accustomed to today. (Imagine nailing it in ten frames or less!)
Determining the meticulous placement of lights and camera was another critical aspect of the mental calculus required to synchronize the myriad dynamics at work. Speaking of negatives, one of the reasons classic portraits of the era look so impressive is the combination of fine-grain film printed at a one-to-one ratio. An 8x10 negative is printed directly to an 8x10 glossy without enlargement, optimizing the film’s splendid creaminess. Furthermore, skin retouching was done entirely on the negative. It was mind-bending work where everything was tonally reversed, with areas of shadow appearing light and the light regions dark. A skill, no doubt, now long obsolete. Though it made perfect sense for achieving the most natural-looking result and the ability to create unlimited prints from a single, impeccable negative.
Megawatt: Comedian Pat Cooper; Florence Ballard; Duke Ellington; Eartha Kitt; Andre Watts; Patti Page.
The variety and inventiveness of composition, posing, lighting, props, and focus defy comprehension. Naturally, wardrobe was impeccable, though dressing well and proper was expected back then. It’s also true that almost everything about vintage portraiture involved exaggeration and heightened perfection—much like the performers themselves. That is part of what makes them such a delight. Though much of the signature techniques of that era appear remote to contemporary eyes.
Photographers today would consider the Dutch angle, with shoulders sloped at 45 degrees, as a silly affectation. Ditto for the jack-knifed at the waist pose. Ask a sitter to look off into the distance, and the eyes go dead because they’re not focused on anything. Kriegsmann and his cohort of professional portrait shooters had quite the bag of tricks. They practiced their craft on a level that remains the gold standard. —J Heroun
Genre-defining: Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Perry Como, Sybil Lewis, Marvin Gye.
Who Dat? Peg Leg Bates.
Hi De Ho! Cab Calloway.
Sharp-dressed Man: Boogie-woogie pianist Maurice Rocco’s aggressive playing style involved standing while banging out driving rhythms, influencing later acts from Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis to Ramsey Lewis and Bobby Short. This image demonstrates Kriegsmann’s fondness for the cucoloris (aka, cookies), a light modifier creating the window pane effect over the background. The device was widely used in early films and theater for dramatic effect.
Wunderkind: Little did Stevland Hardaway know at the time of this session, but he would become one of the best-selling artists ever. His soloist career, starting at age 8 in Detroit, began at church, naturally. He would have been about 11 years old in this photo, his age when Berry Gordy signed him to Motown, bestowing him with the stage name, Stevie Wonder. More wonderful portraits of this irrepressible genius follow.
All Grown Up: Motown Superstar Stevie.
Birth of the Cool: Miles Davis in 1948.
Star Bright: Born Carol Diann Johnson, Diahann Carroll is best known as the first Black female to star in the lead role on primetime TV. This stunning portrait, demonstrating Kriegsmann’s mastery of light and posing, dates from the late 1950s following her rise to prominence in television and Broadway roles.
Baby, It’s You: The fabulous Shirelles, hailing from Passaic, New Jersey, created the much-admired girl group genre with harmonies influencing male acts from Jan & Dean and The Beach Boys to the Fab Four. In this 1962 capture, Kriegsmann’s key light falls gracefully on each figure despite their varied positions, striking a visual harmony that echoes the group’s sound. While the Y-axis creates a mirror image, the top and bottom rows pair up diagonally, resulting in a sweet innocence redolent of their music and image, perfectly in tune with the era. The prom dress styling contributes to the wholesome vibe expressed in their teenage themes of love and yearning.
Stop! In the Name of Love: In the constellation of Motown stars, none shone as brightly as The Supremes, of which much has been written (and alleged). Here, Kriegsmann opts for an atypical symmetry with a regal bearing achieved by the “hero” angle, chosen to assert dominance. With glamour engineered into the group’s DNA, wardrobe styling played a central role in the Supremes’ brand. The linearity of this shot owes everything to the dresses, which are impossible to imagine working any way other than standing. Lighting comes from a single, centered flood, the spotlight-effect imparting a sense of majesty.
Reign of The Supremes: Diana holds court with a Greco-Roman-inspired theme. Though Ms. Ross stands upon a shop-worn studio apple box while supporting herself against another cheap prop, the image is none the worse as our attention rests entirely upon the extraordinary dresses and lyrical, dramatically idealized female figures.
With massive worldwide success, by 1965 the group became known as Diana Ross and The Supremes.
Ella Fitzgerald, Queen of Jazz: Seen here in a standard composition featuring a diagonal upper body with dropped shoulder and the then-typical side glance. A single key light is complimented by a hair kicker, which spills over her body, breaking up the deep shadow under the jawline.
It is entirely likely that the intent in her eyes was the result of following the roving photographer while the camera was trained on her from its fixed vantage point. Once focus is set, the camera operator leads the subject’s attention away from the lens axis, resulting in an intentionality incomparable to the photographer situated behind the camera instructing the subject to look away.
Also noteworthy is the flawless, heavily retouched skin. Though dark skin conceals tonal variation better than light skin — and black and white film contributes greatly to smoothing out discrepancies — her preternatural perfection owes to a combination of heavy makeup (notice the shift in tonality of the face and shoulder in the same light) and extensive manual retouching. Stated as an observation, not a criticism, it’s important to keep in mind that the purpose of publicity shots, like movies and magazine covers, was to sell the fantasy, of which we are all complicit consumers. Small imperfections that go unnoticed in person, laser-focus our attention in a photograph or film still. The need for retouching was obvious since the nascent days of the medium.
Queen of the Blues: An effervescent Dinah Washington radiates personality while clever styling choices conceal the physical heft that results from seated positions.
“You Beat Me to the Punch” Drop-dead gorgeous doesn’t do justice to this remarkable capture of founding Motown marvel Mary Wells. Among her accolades includes this gem: Cited as the Beatles’ favorite American singer, she was one of only three female acts to open for them in concert. Despite her unimpeachable Motown pedigree, she broke from Berry Gordy’s orbit acrimoniously, winning a lawsuit that alleged a lopsided contract be deemed illegal given that she was a minor at the time of its signing.
While anachronistic today, her coquettish hand gesture in this frame is on-brand for the time and, along with Kriegsmann’s choice of gentle soft focus, completely disarming.
Be My Baby: Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes.
Leading Man Looks: Virtually unknown today, velvety vocalist Bob Eberly performed with The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra during the big band era. His impeccable vocal stylings were matched by his extraordinary physical presence. In this youthful portrait from the 1930s, he possessed a beguiling blend of masculine and feminine, a characteristic of leading men from the early film era like Rudolph Valentino and Errol Flynn. The impromptu off-the-shoulder glance with Hollywood-style lighting, typical of his time, evinces sexual innuendo and insouciance. Below, Eberly and big band singer Helen O’Connell represented all that was right about America. The duo are nothing short of mesmerizing in this 1942 clip performing with The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra.
Era of the Crooner: Bob Eberly looking sharp, circa 1943.
Purrrr: Multi-racial, versatile, next-level talent Eartha Kitt’s rise from the depths of adversity to the pinnacle of stardom defines the American narrative. With her unmistakable self-possessed beauty and unshakable confidence, she became, among other things, a civil rights icon. In these two similar frames, taken years apart, she reaches for her go-to pose.
Here, Kitty: Eartha summons her vulnerable sex kitten look.
At Last: The extraordinary Etta James.
Queen of Soul: Aretha Franklin.
The Gospel According to Aretha.
Motivated: Against improbable odds in the male-dominated jazz culture, Dorothy Ashby overcame doubts about whether the harp as an improvising instrument was worthy of bebop. (In the hands of a woman, no less.) This simple composition showcases her tender beauty and her outsized, elegant musical companion. I encourage any jazz aficionado unfamiliar with one of the most “unjustly under-loved jazz greats of the 1950s” and the “most accomplished modern jazz harpist,”to read her remarkable story, yet another musical genius to emerge from the streets of Detroit.
The Godmother of Rock and Roll: Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Oh, Rosetta: Sister Rosetta, raw and unpolished, just as she liked it. The physical presence evoked from large-format view cameras is unmistakable and unmatched by modern cameras.
Motor City Miracle: The Fabulous Temptations.
Take Me Higher: The Temptations circa 1968.
Detroit Royalty: David Ruffin, my, but what large hands . . .
The Birdman: Sax legend Charley Parker.
Swinger: Earl Bostic.
Tulsa Time: Hal Singer.
The Coolest Name in Jazz: Illinois Jacquet (a Louisiana Creole who hailed from Houston), American tenor saxophonist extraordinaire. With no relation to the eponymous state, beautifully captured in this 1950s masterpiece that requires no elaboration.
“I Don’t Want the World, I Just Want You” Chicago legend Betty Thornton, the original spice girl, noted for album titles like “Nice Songs for Naughty People.”
The Count: Count Basie.
Aristocat: Count Basie.
Civil Rights Pioneer: Singer Bob Bailey performed with Count Basie’s orchestra.
The Duke. As in Ellington. Above and below.
Ambassador Satch: Louis Armstrong
Lover, Please! From Billy Ward and His Dominoes to The Drifters to solo headliner, the astonishing Clyde McPhatter, above and below.
Philosopher of Soul: Stax Recording artist Johnnie Taylor, purveyor of every musical genre from blues, rhythm & blues, soul, and gospel, to doo-wop, and disco. His biggest hit, “Who’s Making Love,” was covered by The Blues Brothers in their 1980 film.
On the Hammond: Jazz pianist and organist Milt Buckner.
Operatic: Coloratura soprano Marylin Cotlow.
Tap, tap: Mr. Bojangles, Bill Robinson.
He’s No Dummy: Ventriloquist Paul Winchell with Jerry Mahoney. Ventriolquy, an art form centuries old, bthe acts that, often filled the lineups between musical guests on TV variety shows in the nascent years of television. Corny and archaic as it now seems, talents like Winchell were a big draw and still fascinating to watch.
In this image, Kriegsmann’s decision to stack the heads as equals creates an emotional bond between puppet and puppeteer that echoes their live bits. In this complex lighting arrangement, Winchell is swathed in light pouring over his shoulders, obfuscating the contour of the figure in what appears as an attempt to evoke some ethereal sense. A significant amount of dodging and burning has been done in retouching.
Jazz Queen: Singer and pianist, the extraordinary Hazel Scott, above and below.
Opera Soprano: Veronica Tyler, above and below.
Sarah Vaughan, American Treasure: From the arched brows, downward glance, expectant lips, chin-tuck, off-the-shoulder dress, and the wonderfully considered hand gesture, there’s a lot to take in. Clearly, Ms. Vaughan, who required no coaching, was in-synch with Kriegsmann, bringing her considerable charms to the session.
Divine: Sarah Vaughan evokes a beautiful high school senior portrait from this 1955 still. Which, incidentally, is not disparaging. Class photographers of the era produced beautiful, legacy portraits with assembly line precision and efficiency.
Magnificent: Sarah Vaughan.
Sweethearts of Rhythm: Jazz instrumentalist and vocalist, Carline Ray.
Queen of Drag: The Incomparable Mr Harvey Lee, above and below.
Transfixed: The Incomparable Mr Harvey Lee with Nikki, the Borzoi Beautiful.
Let’s Get It On: Marvin Gaye, circa 1963, who would later get it on with fellow Motown talent Tammi Terrell, below.
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: Motown artist Tammi Terrell.
Jazzy Japanese: Singer Miyoko Hoshino toured with the Lionel Hampton Band.
Marvelous Marvelettes: Founding members of the Motown sound, The Marvelettes, above and below, was formed by schoolmates in suburban Detroit. They scored their first #1 hit single with “Please Mr. Postman,” a song the Beatles covered in their 1963 American debut album, With the Beatles.
The Ikettes: Occasional backup singers for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue as well as self-titled trio, Venetta Fields, Robbie Montgomery, and Jessie Smith.
It’s Something In the Water: What accounts for the fact that the Motor City mass-produced hitmakers like they made cars? Berry Gordy, founder of Hitsville, USA, better known as Motown, compartmentalized song craft into its components in a process that rivaled the efficiency of the assembly line, his actual source of inspiration having worked at Ford. He capitalized on the moment when Black music and artists were increasingly enjoying crossover appeal to white audiences, a phenomenon fueled by the exploding popularity of rock and roll that had swept the nation by 1960. With no detail too small to be scrutinized and polished, Berry engineered his stars to become brand names and, like models in a showroom, constantly made new. Pictured above, the legendary trio Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, winners of Motown Records’ first Grammy nomination for “Love Is Like a Heat Wave.”
Mr. Entertainment: Sammy Davis, Jr.
Doo-Wopper: Buell Thomas.
Cool Cats: Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five.
King of the Jukebox: Louis Jordan.
Broadway Sensation: Black American singer and actor, Urylee Leonardos’ brief star burned bright in the 1940s and early ’50s, including the lead in the 1953 revival of Porgy and Bess. Kriegsmann’s portrayal exudes quiet contemplation, confidence, and understated elegance.
He’s a Soul Man: Alabama-native Wilson Pickett spent his formative childhood in Detroit, singing in gospel choir, mandatory training for all the extraordinary talent that gave shape to the soul music sensation of the 1960s. His foundational work with The Falcons in 1959 led to a string of monster hits as a solo artist — like “Mustang Sally,” “Funky Broadway,” and “In the Midnight Hour” — that influenced everyone from the Rolling Stones and Creedence Clearwater Revival to the Grateful Dead and Bruce Springsteen. Wilson Pickett was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Chart Toppers: The Mills Brothers, with Norman Brown.
Constellation: Billy Ward and His Dominoes.
Music Man: George Shearing.
King of Swing: James P. Johnson.
L.A. Blue: Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers.
R&B icon, Percy Sledge: The trauma of losing his girlfriend was the motivation behind “When a Man Loves a Woman,” the 1966 gold record that defined his long career. Inspired by the Country and Western music he enjoyed growing up in rural Alabama, his soulful voice exemplified the Muscle Shoals sound along with Otis Redding, James Brown, and Wilson Pickett. Kriegsmann opted for a pensive, tender emotion with a dropped shoulder and shallow depth-of-field. Though it appears lit by a single source, the catchlights in his eyes reveals a pair of lamps.
R&B Sensation: Otis Redding.
Drum Major: Gene Krupa.
Jump Blues: The Andrews Sisters.
How Much Is That Doggie in the Window? Songstress Patti Page.
White Boys, Black Sound: Buddy Holly and The Crickets.
Radio Pioneer: Alan Freed, a proselytizer of Black music, helped popularize rock ’n’ roll with white audiences.
Heartthrob: Paul Anka.
Wild One: Bobby Rydell.
Handsome Devil: Postwar blues pioneer Amos Milburn, purveyor of the rowdy jump blues style, was a huge influence on an even bigger star, New Orleans’ own Fats Domino, below.
He Found His Thrill: Fats’ first single “The Fat Man” is the first rock record to sell a million copies. Elvis called him “the real king of rock ’n’ roll.” During his reign, he sold more than 110 million records.
Early Adopters: Bill Haley and his Comets, the first white-boy rockers.
A Face That Defines an Era: A striking portrait on many levels, Kriegsmann’s choice of three-quarter framing accentuates a remarkable bone structure.
Hambone Rhythm: The amazing Bo Diddley.
Founding Father of Rock: Bo Diddley with The Duchess, Norma-Jean Wofford, and Jerome Green on maracas, circa 1957 in New York City.
Simon Says: Who could have imagined these baby-faced boys, appearing like contestants in a talent show, would become a defining voice of dissent in the 1960s? In their formative days, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel performed their earnest, squeaky-clean Everly Brothers-inspired act as Tom and Jerry.
R&B Royalty: The 5 Royales
Hey, Now! Hank Ballard and The Midnighters.
Inimitable: Trumpeteer and band leader Dizzy Gillespie.
Jazzy: The Kim Loo Sisters
If’n You Don’t, Somebody Else Will: Songstress and film star, Monica Lewis, photographed here and below, in classic Hollywood starlet mode. Watch her perform “If’n You Don’t” backed by noted bandleader Ray Coniff.
Star of Stage and Screen: The talented Madeline Kahn.
American Beauty: Ohio-born of African and Native American descent, Una Mae Carlisle began playing piano for audiences by age 3. A jazz singer, musician, and songwriter, she was discovered as a teen by Fats Waller and later performed and recorded with Lester Young, Benny Carter, Cab Calloway, and Peggy Lee among others. A true American success story, Kriegsmann captures her with dreamy eyes, classically posed, and styled to the hilt in an up-do, evening wear, and impressive jewelry. She would have been pleased.
Siren’s Song: Jazz singer Sallie Blair.
Motown Pioneers: Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.
Doo-woppers: Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers.
Reverent: While Brook Benton is considered among the pantheon of great 1950s American stars, his musical arc peaked in 1970, with the hit ballad “Rainy Night in Georgia.” This portrait—taken a decade earlier—resonates with warmth and devotion rooted in Benton’s gospel roots. His body in full submission to his faith, culminates in possibly the most beautiful hand gesture ever like a second character in the frame. Kriegsmann’s low camera angle accentuates Benton’s gaze heavenward, where he would arrive too early, a brilliant artist cut short at the young age of 56.
Inimitable: Sam Cooke
Hit the Road, Jack! Ray Charles’ unique blend of blues, gospel, R&B, rock, country music and jazz birthed hits “Unchain My Heart,” “I’ve Got A Woman” and “What I’d Say,” among many more. Incomparable doesn't begin to describe his everlasting influence on music.
Behind the Ray-Bans: The piercing gaze of a musical pioneer.
