is shaking things up in Port Jefferson by bringing rock and roll photographer Rob Shanahan to the village to exhibit his work and sign copies of his new book of behind-the-scenes photographs at a special appearance at on Saturday night.
Shanahan has been Ringo Starr’s personal photographer for the past five years and has photographed legendary performers like Paul McCartney, Elton John, Slash, Eddie Van Halen, Jason Mraz, Alicia Keyes, and Christina Aguilera.
John Diaz, owner of Imagine Gallery, says he and Tommy Schafer partnered up on the event to “add some fun and excitement to the Port Jefferson social and arts scene.”
“We thought this would be a nice event to accomplish that,” Diaz said in an email to Patch. “Schafer’s has a great location and they offered us the use of the Captain’s Room for the exhibit and book signing.”
He said that the Captain’s Room offers a great view over West Broadway, making for a perfect location for the event. The signing is an open exhibit, there is no admission and Shanahan will be on hand all evening to meet guests and talk about his work, according to Diaz.
“He is a fascinating personality and a great story teller,” he said.
Diaz was at a book signing in Huntington this past winter and after Shanahan told him he was Ringo Starr’s personal photographer it clicked that he’d be perfect for Imagine Gallery.
“I knew he would be a good fit for us since so many of our customers are Beatles fans,” Diaz said.
Shanahan agreed and said that he’d be back in New York for Starr’s upcoming concert at Jones Beach Theater this Friday.
The photographer will be signing copies of his first book, “Volume 1: Behind the Lens of Music Photographer Rob Shanahan,” with a foreword written by Ringo Starr himself. Inside the book are hundreds of photos of rock musicians, the kind of intimate stuff that only Shanahan has been privy to over the years.
Shanahan will be at Schafer’s on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. His photographs will be on exhibit at Schafer’s that evening and at Imagine Art Gallery from June 23 until July 10.
