Randall Slavin’s Journey from a Struggling Actor to a World Famous Celebrity Photographer

Celebrity Photographer Randall Slavin’s dream was to captivate the masses by becoming an actor. Destiny however had different plans for him. When lady luck didn’t favor his dream, he turned to photography as he was always obsessed with photos. 

He began clicking photographs of actors from the same industry until his passion transformed into a full-fledged career. Today Randall Slavin is one of the most eminent celebrity photographers of America. His passion for photography can easily be seen in his gleaming high-quality work. 

Here’s one with Leonardo Dicaprio and Charlize Theron in the nineties on Theron’s 22nd birthday.  According to Randall, they’ve never looked more beautiful than they did on the night in August 1997.

He possessed an Olympus Stylus Camera back when he started out. There were many artists who were still in the process of making it big in the wide world of entertainment and many of them were Randall’s friends. He was lucky enough to capture those old precious memories through his lens. 

Mark Wahlberg’s portrait seen below:

In his book titled ‘We all want something beautiful’ he wrote that “I think I was hyper aware that I was around special people”

His book will take you through his thrilling journey in the world of photography. You’ll discover how he began his career by capturing “to-be famous” celebrities through his lens to his very recent noteworthy work. 

Cameron Diaz in a “non celebrity mode” enjoying the camaraderie of friends:

The famous photographer shared a great pointer when it comes to photography in an interview. He said, “One of my main focuses is to get people to forget they're being photographed, because that's what makes people feel stiff.” The result is authentic and honest photos.

Many of us would agree with this fact. It is when we are not aware that we are being photographed, the photographs emerge better and natural. 

Randall engages with his clients during shoots and enjoys conversing with them. “It's a joy to spend some time with these legends, so I want to use the time I have to get to know them... I like to talk a lot during my shoots” says the talented photographer. 

Charlie Sheen captured in a thoughtful pose:

He revealed that one shouldn’t pick up the camera only when paid. The secret to emerge victorious in this field is to photograph even when you are not being paid. A great tip for emerging photographers!

He shares that perseverance is the key factor for success and sometimes it can be very difficult to keep going when you don’t come across the right opportunities. This is the “eternal struggle” of an artist. 

Randall’s work has appeared in every major publication you can think of and across all galleries around the world.

The photographer has summed up the most important things he has learned in life by George Harrison’s quote, “All things must pass.” From a struggling actor to the most sought after celebrity photographer, Randall Slavin’s journey is worth taking inspiration from. 

Image courtesy: Instagram