Traveling Exhibitions
SILVER SEAS
by Ernest H. Brooks II
IPHF is happy to offer another exciting new touring exhibit. SILVER SEAS by famed photographer Ernest H. Brooks II is now available for loan.
The internationally known photographer has been exhibited all over the globe, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institute. Brooks has work covering a variety of projects from the Shroud of Turin to shooting for the Cousteau society.
SILVER SEAS, is an incredible series of black and white photographs that captured the mystique and beauty of underwater fish and animals.
ELVIS: INNOCENCE
Photographs by William Speer
In 1955, the then twenty year old Elvis Presley had just begun gaining notoriety but was still far from being known as the "KING." He was just another young musician in Memphis, Tennessee trying to land his "big-break". He had already recorded his first record with Sam Phillips at Sun Records. His first manager, Bob Neal, arranged for Elvis to have these images taken by a local Memphis photographer, William Speer.
In June of 1955, Elvis sat in front of the camera and had his photograph taken by Speer. These twelve images, shot in Speer's “Blue Light” studio, were the first professional photographs taken of Elvis. Three of these images were printed in mass and used by Elvis for publicity and autographs during his initial tours. Five of the images were sent to Hollywood and were instrumental in helping Elvis land his first contract there.
Months after these portraits were taken, Colonel Parker purchased Elvis’s contract from Neal and negotiated the contract for Elvis to land his major record deal with RCA records. These photos, which are a part of the International Photography Hall of Fame's permanent collection, left an indelible impact on the public and record companies and would help pave the way for his illustrious career.
These exclusive images have been made available for exhibit in honor of what would have been Elvis’s 75th birthday in 2010. They represent a time in Elvis’s life when he was young, naive and innocent! The intimacy, purity and boyish appeal that these images portray, was never again captured in his life. They provide a short but concise glimpse of what this budding super star was like before he ever had to deal with the pressures of public scrutiny, police escorts and 24 hour bodyguards just to try and live his life.
SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS:
2010 ELVIS: Innocence Limited Edition Calendar
2010 calendar with the exhibit's eleven different images
on Elvis plus the photo of his parents. Images are suitable
for framing after the the calendar year. (Maybe ordered with exhibit in lots of 20 at $8.00 each)
Suggested Retail Price: $16.00
Order retail copies from IPHF!
Press Release:
Media Contact: Michael Scalf Sr, 405-424-4055
New International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum Exhibition Portrays The Young & Innocent Elvis Before He Was Popular.
Bob Neal, Elvis Presley’s first manager, contacted a prominent local Memphis photographer, William Speer, and arranged for Elvis to have his first professional portraits taken in 1955. The then 20 year old Elvis was just beginning to gain some notoriety but was still far from being known as the "KING." He was just another young musician in Memphis, Tennessee trying to land his "big-break.” He had already recorded his first record with Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Speer was known around Memphis as a high profile photographer for his photographs of theatrical types ranging from celebrities in Memphis on tour to local actors and singers. A few of the notable people Speer had already photographed were Eva Gabor, Johnny Cash, Marguerite Piazza and Barbara Carlson.
In June of 1955, Neal scheduled the appointment and Elvis came in and sat in front of the camera to have his photographs taken by Speer. These 12 images were taken in Speer's studio which at the time was located at 1330 Linden Street in downtown Memphis. Speer’s wife, Vacil, was the one to greet Elvis at the door! She was quoted as recalling “Oh, I opened that door, and his animal charm, his animal magnetism!” She paused and laughed. “I just stared at him and he stared at me and we both checked out each other from head to toe.”
We also have Vacil to thank for having those wonderful unique images of a bare chested Elvis! “Elvis had brought only a sport coat and two shirts with him” she says, “and after six shots, Bill said, “Well, if that’s all the clothes you brought, I guess we’re done’. But Vacil spoke up, “No honey, get him to take his shirt off!” Elvis was shy about shedding his shirt but soon relaxed and was flirting with the camera. Vacil commented that, “I guess we would have been rich now had we of suggested he take his pants off too!” Speer recalled that when Elvis came in to look at the images, he scribbled on the back of a shirtless pose, “This has got to go! Ha Ha Ha!.” Speer also recalled that one time a little later, Elvis brought his girlfriend to the studio to have her portrait also taken by Speer. While Bill was taking her portraits, Elvis begin singing. Speer said, “I told him to shut up that howling and get a beer.” Elvis replied, “But I don’t drink!” To that Bill replied, “Then go get a Coke.” Speer said, “I think I made him mad because after that, he didn’t talk much with me, he just talked with my wife.”
Elvis’s manager, Bob Neal, actually paid Speer $500 for the photos, not a small amount in those days. Speer was quoted as saying, “Bob said he would sell me Elvis’s contract for $10,000 but that was like 10 million back then.” Over the years, several of these images have been reproduced in books and magazines such as Life, People and Rolling Stone among others. Three of these images were printed in mass and used by Elvis for publicity and autographs during his early tours. Five of the images were sent to Hollywood and were instrumental in helping Elvis land his first contract there.
Months after these portraits were taken, Colonel Parker purchased Elvis’s contract from Neal and in 1956 negotiated the contract for Elvis to land his major record deal with RCA records. Speer also recalled his meeting Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s new manager. “He was in my studio one day and borrowed a dime to make a phone call, bummed a cigar off of me and said, “Didn’t I wish I had a dime for all of the photos of mine that he’d sold of Elvis.” He claims to have made a millions bucks just off of my photos!” These classic and unique images are now a part of the International Photography Hall of Fame's permanent collection. They left an indelible impact on the public and record companies and would help pave the way for his illustrious career.
Looking back on the shoot, Speer says he was glad that he used a special lens on Elvis, a lens that today is also a collectible. “Elvis moved so much that I had to get out this old SF 24 inch lens I’d never used on anyone. Half of the people who saw it thought it was an ashtray! You could move way back and still get a good head-and-shoulders portrait and you could shoot wide open without any stops.”
These exclusive images have been made available for exhibit in honor of what would have been Elvis’s 75th birthday in 2010. They represent a time in Elvis’s life when he was young, naive and innocent! The intimacy, purity and boyish appeal that these images portray, was never again captured. They provide a short but concise glimpse of what this budding super star was like before he ever had to deal with the pressures of public scrutiny, police escorts and 24 hour bodyguards in order simply try to live his life.
