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.
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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.”
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