Pro Books – Sophia by Eisenstaedt
Back then, however, it was just the star and her photographer, a relaxed and intimate occasion, with no back-up team, elaborate lighting set-ups or an entourage keeping a close eye on things. And, not surprisingly, the resulting pictures feel totally natural and uncontrived, and are all the better for it.
Close relationship
As a celebrity Sophia Loren always had a reputation for the clever and careful management of her career and profile, and clearly it made sense to form astute relationships with those who could help her with this. So, when she first encountered Eisie and realised that he was very much someone who was on her side it was, perhaps, not altogether surprising that he soon became a close and trusted associate.
The fact that he went on to become someone who portrayed her not just on her film sets but also in the street, at home, with her family, and, in due course, with her children, is testament to his professionalism and the fact that he worked in such a way that fitted in perfectly with the requirements of someone often surrounded by those who were more pushy and persistent. More than any other professional, Eisie crafted the image the public had of Loren, not only as an actress but as a woman, too.
Eisenstaedt himself was one of what were initially just four photographers on the staff at Life. Born in 1898, he had begun his career as a photographer and photojournalist in Berlin at the time of the Weimar Republic. Before emigrating to the US in 1935, he took memorable pictures of Hitler and Mussolini, and of a scowling Goebbels: Hitler’s propaganda minister had apparently just learned that the photographer was Jewish.
Eisie did not have a signature style as such, but he did have his own way of capturing individual subjects. He chatted to them readily and, where possible, he avoided using elaborate equipment. A small, unobtrusive Leica was his favoured camera and, indeed, became something of a hallmark. For some portraits, he preferred to use a tripod so that eye contact and the informal tone would not be lost, the aim being to build a relaxed atmosphere in which famous men and women would set aside their habitual masks and look more natural.
