You Should Have Been With Me...

The Amazing Photographer

Stan Shaffer

Recently my dear friend and mentor, photographer Stan Shaffer asked me to contribute a passage to his new book entitled “You Should Have Been With Me”. This book is a photographic journey through this illustrious photographer’s personal life and career (shot for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, YSL, Armani, and the list goes on and on).

Stan's daughter, the gorgeous Ms. Allie Shaffer

Words can not begin to express my affection for Stan Shaffer and his entire family. His daughter Allie and I share a “soul family”, if you know what I mean, and his son Justin (resembling a young JFK, Jr.) is perhaps the most refined young man I have ever met. The Shaffer offspring possess the legacy of the quintessential privileged Bohemia, however, lead their modern lives with both feet humbly anchored to the ground.

Stan Shaffer took these iconic photos of Angelica Houston

Long before Janice was proclaiming herself "the world's first supermodel" she was simply Stan's muse and friend (p.s. a gentlemen never tells)

I can’t even remember how long ago I met Stan Shaffer and perhaps that isn’t important as it was surely love at first sight. The kind of love that artists share when they know they have met a kindred spirit. There is perhaps a 30 year age difference between Stan and I but that matters not, Stan-the-Man, as I affectionately call him, has hipped me to music and artists of today that normally would have escaped my radar.

Producer and Rapper "Omen" photographed by Stan Shaffer

The first shoot Stan and I ever worked on together features Eva Pigford as Josephine Baker

Another great project I worked on with Eva Marcille and Stan Shaffer

From the day I met Stan he has always had his finger on the pulse of what is coming next, often with very little attention ever being paid to the present or the past. Therefore to see Stan finally taking a look at his glorious past via this magnificent book is truly a time of reverence and humility for a mere mortal such as me… Stan Shaffer is truly a creative God.

Stan was a regular fixture at Andy Warhol's "The Factory" - The photo of Stan in the center was actually snapped by Andy Warhol.

This is a must see - Stan shoots Andy Warhol in the Great Gatsby - The first time Andy Warhol ever agreed to be placed in a costume (of sorts) for another photographer. LEGENDARY!!!

Recently, Stan married former model and YSL muse, Louis Robey formally known in the Royal Court as The Countess of Burford, and moved to the South of France. One of my greatest joys in life was watching this courtship mature into a beautiful union of creative spirits. I have plans to visit them in their new home before the year is over where I am sure we will work on some interesting new project as well as go over the final touches for the book... Just the thought of seeing Stan-the-Man again sends me to a place of creativity and possibility.... Wow, I just can't even begin to explain it... You guys really "Should have been with me..."

Photo of Countess of Berisford Louise Robey

taken by Stan Shaffer circa 1980 for YSL

Check out the amazing slide show of Stan Shaffer's upcoming book on http://www.youshouldhavebeenwithme.com/

STAN-THE-MAN