Playboy's Pompeo Posar (1985)

No photographer has made a greater contribution to PLAYBOY magazine than Pompeo Posar. In the 25 years he has been on staff, this extraordinarily talented man has photographed 60 Playmates (including six for foreign editions), 40 covers, the Girls of... Rome, Munich, Paris, the Iron Curtain countries, the French Riviera, Rio, Texas, the New South, Canada, Australia, the Adriatic Coast, Spain—literally thousands ofbeautiful women from around the globe. He has earned 18 awards for excellence, enhancing PLAYBOY'S reputation as one of the most photographically sophisticated publications in the world. Pompeo's photographs have a timeless quality. His conception of the female form was developed early. As a young man growing up in Yugoslavia and Italy, he "loved to visit the museums and stand for hours in front of paintings by Rubens, Titian, Raphael, Michelangelo, and so on. I was fascinated by the beauty and grandeur I found there." Those boyhood impressions are evident in photographs that have been called "lush" and "elegant" by admirers. At least part of Pompeo's success can be attributed to his relationship with his models. In the cover story for the April 1985 issue of American Photographer magazine, writer David Roberts described watching him work with a Playmate prospect. At first, the young lady was shy and somewhat hesitant, but" by noon it became routine for her to loiter at Posar's side, an open robe barely perched on her shoulders, as she scrutinized her 8x10 nude Polaroid self along with the experts." Roberts concluded that the transformation was entirely due to Pompeo's "bedside manner." PLAYBOY Associate Photography Editor Janice Moses says Posar doesn't really have a technique. "He's just sincere. He makes women relax because they know very well that he likes them and he appreciates their beauty and he's very sensitive to their shyness." Pompeo has great respect for the feelings of his photographic subjects. "I never want a girl to feel intimidated by my looking at her. I usually avert my eyes when I'm not looking through the camera. I turn away and let her relax. And if I do look at her, I remind herthat she's beautiful. I tryto give her self-confidence." In the book Getting to the Top in Photography, by Peter Gam baccini, Gregory Heisler neatly summed up Pompeo's reputation in the photographic community: "At PLAYBOY, my biggest kick was meeting Pompeo Posar. He's shaped more young men's minds than Dr. Spock." We cannot properly do justice to Pompeo's 25 years of PLAYBOY photography in these pages. We can only present a glimpse at the style and grace that have been captured by his discerning eye throughout the years. Happy Anniversary, Pompeo. And thanks. Models Laura Young Jan Roberts Connie Mason June Cochran China Lee Kai Brendlinger Veronique Vendell Donna Michelle Jennifer Jackson Maria Perschy Gin Audibert Paulette Lindberg Majken Haugedal Cynthia Myers Britt Fredriksen Lieko English Tina Mraz Kristine Mendoza Jennie Wallace Inese Parsons Carol Green Claire Rambeau P.J. Lansing Alberta Brandenstein Marlene Wiese Marlene Appelt Anulka Dziubinska Margie Ferstl Marilyn Cole Vicki Flynn Cyndi Wood Lillian Muller Karen Christy Patty McGuire Jane Lubeck Barbi Benton Ann Penington Diana House Debra Jo Fondren Susan Lynn Kiger Lisa Sohm Ruth Guerri Nicki Thomas Michele Drake Denise McConnell Ita Siders Candace Collins Ursula Buchfellner Lisa Kaiser Liz Glazowski Lisa Welch Sandy Cagle Mirjana Vulic Jasminka Dedvic Danic Markovic Kym Malin Cathy St. George Charlotte Kemp Loretta Martin Barbara Schantz Linda Rhys Vaughn Jolanda Egger Rita Jenrette Terry Moore Vicki LaMotta and Peter Athas Marilyn Griffin Caroline Webb Uschi Hu Susie Owens Terry Nihen Bebe Buell Pamela Zinszer Janet Lupo Marilyn Cole Debi Johnson Penny Baker Sylvana Suarez Suze Schott