- Steve Banks - New Vogue Beauty Salon
- Published by Deadbeat Club
- 2018
- Selected by Classic Paris
"In February 1967 I won a spot in Richard Avedon and Marvin Israel's eight week photography master class. These meetings took place at Avedon's New York Upper East Side studio.In February 1967 I won a spot in Richard Avedon and Marvin Israel's eight week photography master class. These meetings took place at Avedon's New York Upper East Side studio.Everyone, including invited guests (photographers Diane Arbus, Hiro, Lee Friedlander), would gather around two sheets of plywood set up on sawhorses and critique each week's assignments.Thad decided to photograph beauty parlors - all kinds, from the high-end beauty palaces on Fifth Avenue, the ethnic, and the suburban Cut-n-curl venues. Since I was living in Stamford, Connecticut I choose New Vogue Beauty Salon, a salon my former wife frequented.The owners were a little apprehensive about me running around with cameras in their sanctuary of curl, but finally agreed to give me some time one Saturday to see how things worked out.What a challenge!! First I was photographing with noisy Nikon F reflex cameras, not a nice quiet Leica. Next, I discovered women have eyes in the back of their heads. And there were mirrors everywhere so it was tough photographing and not being caught in the act. This salon was a secure, safe place to let their hair down (no pun intended), relaxing, getting the gray hair dyed or bleached, shampooed, blown out or to sit under hair dryers buzzing with gossip, sharing recipes and stories about their children while keeping an eye out on me. A few (vey few) women felt secure enough to pose for me, finding my idea laughable - "wasting my film" on this "boring place". Anyway my allotted time wrapped up and without any incidents I was invited back for another visit. After two weekends at the New Vogue Beauty Salon I'd had enough fun and moved on to photograph other subjects that interested me." - Steve Banks
