Ron Raffaelli

Ron Raffaelli
Nationality American
Education Art Center College of Design
Occupation Photographer

Ron Raffaelli is an American photographer known for his documenting rock music icons in the 1960s and 1970s, such as Jimi Hendrix, for whom Raffaelli acted as official photographer on his American tour. Raffaelli is also known for his fine art and erotic photography. His work has appeared in hundreds of magazine layouts, 50 album covers, over 40 posters, in six books and in public exhibitions.[1][2][3]

Career

Raffaelli graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Southern California in 1967 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising Photography. At age 22, he was summoned to a Beverly Hills estate, by Jimi Hendrix, who took Raffaelli's portfolio while sitting in his darkened bedroom, and then returned it after several seconds. Though Raffaelli thought the encounter a waste of time, Hendrix's tour managed contacted Raffaelli a couple of weeks later to inform him that Hendrix had chosen Raffaelli to be his personal photographer, and that as soon as Raffaelli caught the next flight to Honolulu, he would begin documenting Hendrix's American tour.[1]

In the mid 1970s, Raffaelli went on to pursue other venues in fine art photography, films and print.[3]

In 2011, Raffaelli released his first museum-quality Fine Art Prints from his vast collection, which he kept in storage for 40 years. Andrew Kirby, Executive Producer of The RARE Collections commented, "This is an important event in Rock Music History,. There has never been an opportunity for collectors to view and purchase these unseen archives, much less meet Ron in person and hear the fascinating stories behind each incredible image."[3] In October 2011, the Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas held an exhibit of Raffaelli's work.[2]

Raffaelli was one of the plaintiffs in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition 535 U.S. 234 (2002) a Supreme Court case that struck down two overbroad provisions of the Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996 because they abridged "the freedom to engage in a substantial amount of lawful speech." Raffaelli's co-plaintiffs included the Free Speech Coalition, Bold Type, Inc., a publisher of a book advocating the nudist lifestyle, and Jim Gingerich, a painter of nudes.[4][5]

Media appearances

In December 2011, Raffaelli appeared in "Looney Dunes", a fifth season episode of the History reality television series Pawn Stars. In the episode, star Rick Harrison was summoned to the Art Encounter gallery in Las Vegas, where he met Raffaelli, who was seeking to market a collection of unpublished photographs of Jimi Hendrix from his archives. Harrison purchased the collection for $15,000.[6]

Books

References

  1. 1 2 Ron Raffaelli. Mr Musichead. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Art Exhibit of Jimi Hendrix’s Personal Photographer, Ron Raffaelli". Things To Do in Arlington, TX. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Rare Collections Presents the World Premier Fine Art Photography Exhibit of Jimi Hendrix’s Personal Photographer, Ron Raffaelli." The Rare Collections Press. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  4. ↑ Text of Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 535 U.S. 234 (2002) is available from:  Findlaw  Justia  Cornell LII 
  5. ↑ "United States v. The Free Speech Coalition, et al."; Transcript of oral argument. Alderson Reporting Company. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Looney Dunes". Pawn Stars. Season 5. Episode 4. December 5, 2011. History.
  7. ↑ Rapture: 13 Erotic Fantasies Photographed by Raffaelli. Amazon.com. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  8. ↑ Desire. a Collection of Erotic Photography. Amazon.com. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  9. ↑ I Am My Lover: Women Pleasure Themselves. Amazon.com. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  10. ↑ Passion: An Erotic Portfolio. BookFinder.com. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
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