A 93-Year-Old Icon of Photography Contemplates His Legacy

Tony Vaccaro made a name for himself with the intimate photos he took as a soldier in WWII, and went on to photograph the likes of O'Keefe, Picasso and Kennedy. Now, he's organizing and preserving his life’s work.

Tony Vaccaro has been everywhere with his cameras – from the front lines of war to fashion’s runways. He’s dined with presidents and traveled with movie stars. Today, the 93-year-old Queens resident, who still uses old-fashioned film and develops in his own dark room, is focused on cementing his legacy and enjoying life as a grandfather.

“Every photo really tethers him to this world,” says his son, Frank Vaccaro. “Because when you talk to him now about past events, if he didn’t take a photo, he has no memory of it.”