Circa 198?

[deribish]

Im a professional retoucher... and in my opinion — This photo is pre-photoshop -- but it is 100% a cut and paste of them off. First off, as someone has mentioned, the lighting is different on all of them... Christine looks overly crisp around her left side and blurry around the edges on the right, like she was pasted there and then airbrushed in. Linds is dressed to the nines, with 80s fashions, slick hair and some good skin foundation... None of them would ever look this good just hanging around the studio. These are all, in my opinion outtakes from an Aaron R photoshoot... He's the same guy that took these of Stevie and Chris. And i would say that Chris's hair and make up look quite similar in this mock-up studio shot as they do in these studio session shots with Stevie.

[FuzzyPlum]

Jeez….a few people over thinking it and over analysing.
What a lovely picture!
The poses look totally natural to me, in so far as any staged pose for a professional photographer is going to look a tad awkward. Micks arms….no issues. His left elbow and arm are leaning on the speaker and his right arm is leaning onto his left arm….no issue. Christine’s arms….look fine.
A photo taken in 1986, before photoshop. Credit to be given to the photographer.
I was quite excited by the prospect of this being the can’t Help Falling in Love session but, alas, it sounds as if it’s after that session and during TITN.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Jeez….a few people over thinking it and over analysing.
What a lovely picture!
The poses look totally natural to me, in so far as any staged pose for a professional photographer is going to look a tad awkward. Micks arms….no issues. His left elbow and arm are leaning on the speaker and his right arm is leaning onto his left arm….no issue. Christine’s arms….look fine.
A photo taken in 1986, before photoshop. Credit to be given to the photographer.
I was quite excited by the prospect of this being the can’t Help Falling in Love session but, alas, it sounds as if it’s after that session and during TITN.

This has always been one of my favorite “band” photos, which seems to have been deliberately released as a kind of “eff u” to Stevie. I remember at the time thinking how good Lindsey looked, and Christine. Mick and John look elegant but older. Having John so recessed like that also seemed like a metaphor for his relationship to the whole Tango project. He was there, did his job, but not especially attached to the music. His wonderful bass on Little Lies and a handful of other songs aside, his presence on the record felt diminished by the automation and synthesizers…

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by deribish

Im a professional retoucher... and in my opinion — This photo is pre-photoshop -- but it is 100% a cut and paste of them off. First off, as someone has mentioned, the lighting is different on all of them... Christine looks overly crisp around her left side and blurry around the edges on the right, like she was pasted there and then airbrushed in. Linds is dressed to the nines, with 80s fashions, slick hair and some good skin foundation... None of them would ever look this good just hanging around the studio. These are all, in my opinion outtakes from an Aaron R photoshoot... He's the same guy that took these of Stevie and Chris. And i would say that Chris's hair and make up look quite similar in this mock-up studio shot as they do in these studio session shots with Stevie.

Exactly. Photoshops existed in the 1980s with the most famous was Oprah's 1989 photoshopped TV guide cover that brought photoshopping into the limelight.
I think there were photos of all of them in the studio and someone just mashed them together. IMHO Oprah's 1989 photoshop was more convincing. Its not photoshopped like people think, a different head and body, etc. Its them full body parts. But they are merged or edited together like you said. Photoshopping is not just for editing people but places. Its a very common practice in all rock photography, album covers, etc.
Are we going to debate if the Tusk insert album covers were photoshopped next?

[tango87]

I dropped the photographer, Aaron Rapoport, a line on Instagram to clear things up. This is what he said to me:

'Hey Chris, no photoshop. I just wish Stevie was in the photo. At the time she wouldn't get anywhere near Lindsay!'

(his spelling of Lindsey, not mine). So let that be the final word on the matter!

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Exactly. Photoshops existed in the 1980s with the most famous was Oprah's 1989 photoshopped TV guide cover that brought photoshopping into the limelight.
I think there were photos of all of them in the studio and someone just mashed them together. IMHO Oprah's 1989 photoshop was more convincing. Its not photoshopped like people think, a different head and body, etc. Its them full body parts. But they are merged or edited together like you said. Photoshopping is not just for editing people but places. Its a very common practice in all rock photography, album covers, etc.
Are we going to debate if the Tusk insert album covers were photoshopped next?

Photoshop is now a proprietary eponym. Maybe at the time there were other (possibly now defunct) photo editing software, but at the time of creation of Tango in the Night photoshop certainly didn’t exist as a thing.

[sleepless child]

Originally Posted by tango87

I dropped the photographer, Aaron Rapoport, a line on Instagram to clear things up. This is what he said to me:

'Hey Chris, no photoshop. I just wish Stevie was in the photo. At the time she wouldn't get anywhere near Lindsay!'

(his spelling of Lindsey, not mine). So let that be the final word on the matter!

I think she was terrified to come into the studio after being on the road with Rock a Little tour. She was in terrible shape and needed to go to rehab. If I remember correctly though Lindsey was very good with her and got the best he could out of her songs and vocals

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by jmn3

The mantra of that whole time period - where’s Stevie!? Too busy running around the world on a bender

Originally Posted by Villavic

If it was taken during spring ´87 Tango sessions, she may have been at the Betty Ford, as Sara Anderson.

Originally Posted by sleepless child

I think she was terrified to come into the studio after being on the road with Rock a Little tour. She was in terrible shape and needed to go to rehab. If I remember correctly though Lindsey was very good with her and got the best he could out of her songs and vocals

I recall Mick saying the band asked (told?) Lindsey to be particularly careful with her during the recording of her stuff. Translation: "Don't be a dick"

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

I recall Mick saying the band asked (told?) Lindsey to be particularly careful with her during the recording of her stuff.

Yes, Tango sessions began in early 1986 and took 18 months, according to Mick, though it doesn't match when he also wrote Stevie finally showed up in January 1987; we'd been working six months, and it was the only time the whole band was in the studio together.

And about Lindsey he wrote:
On her part, she was dreading that Lindsey, in his producing capacity, would be sarcastic toward her, but he made an effort not to be as much of a martinet as he was with the rest of us. He was under some strain with this project, and lost his patience occasionally, but with Stevie we wanted him to be more objective and professional. He tried to make her feel great in the studio, and they got on well. (The love-hate saga between those two will never end.)

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Photoshop is now a proprietary eponym. Maybe at the time there were other (possibly now defunct) photo editing software, but at the time of creation of Tango in the Night photoshop certainly didn’t exist as a thing.

Very true. Since the internet the word photoshop has taken on a completely different meaning almost. It implies that something is not real. Whether you call it photoshop, airbrush, or photo editing, its always been used in rock photography. The Wild Heart album cover has 3 Stevie's photoshopped or edited together. Tusk had photo edits of them on the ceiling. It's always been around. It makes the photos more clever and makes them look better. As I mentioned earlier I never ever gave this photo a second glance for all these years. When someone posted about its "natural authenticity" I gave it a second look. IMHO there are many clues of some artistic take on the photo. I don't see Lindsey showing off his chest hair with suspenders on while working in a studio. There is definitely some "editing" or whatever you want to call it in the photo. IMHO John does not even look like he is in the same room. But in any event just like a favorite song or a least favorite song, its just an opinion. We always must agree to disagree on this board

[tango87]

Of course, we're all entitled to our opinions on anything and everything, even in the face of evidence from people who actually know what they're talking about - hence the wild preponderance of conspiracy theories and 'altermative truths' these days.

In this case, I'm going to listen to the man who actually took the photograph.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by tango87

Of course, we're all entitled to our opinions on anything and everything, even in the face of evidence from people who actually know what they're talking about - hence the wild preponderance of conspiracy theories and 'altermative truths' these days.

In this case, I'm going to listen to the man who actually took the photograph.

I would not expect him to say anything different. This was his job. Any rock photographer who was photographing the band together for the first time in many years and releasing it to Rolling Stone of course would use heavy editing and air brushing to make it perfect. I only added the opinion part so we can move on. I had no position on this or cared about this until someone mentioned it. Then I thought it was an even more interesting photo because of it. All photos yield clues of photoshop or airbrushing. I will give the photographer credit. It is a fantastic photo. This conversation about it makes that point. We probably agree more than we disagree. The band hired a famous professional photographer to show the world through Rolling Stone they were back in the studio. I dont think Lindsey gets that primped to work in a studio. Its very orchestrated to give the appearance of a spontaneous studio shot. That's the creative process with photography. But when you dig a little deeper its more of a posed, highly edited photo just like any other the band put out. Peace.

[tango87]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I would not expect him to say anything different. This was his job. Any rock photographer who was photographing the band together for the first time in many years and releasing it to Rolling Stone of course would use heavy editing and air brushing to make it perfect. I only added the opinion part so we can move on. I had no position on this or cared about this until someone mentioned it. Then I thought it was an even more interesting photo because of it. I am not an expert by any means. But I did have a several hour forensic class on photoshops. All photos yield clues of photoshop or airbrushing. I will give the photographer credit. It is a fantastic photo. This conversation about it makes that point.

No offence meant! You're quite right, it's a great photo and presents them in a way that absolutely plays up to their mystique. And I agree that any professional photograph of the time will have been retouched or airbrushed.

The problem with this band is that they have always traded on their relationships, which has led us to the point that every image is pored over for meaning, and we end up saying it looks off because John's too far away, differently lit, and playing an upright bass, their positions seem awkward, Lindsey's over-dressed etc etc. There must be something going on! Whereas, in fact it's just a staged photo - they dressed up a bit, posed slightly uncomfortably and found a bass for John to hold.

Imagine how much more we'd have to talk about if only Stevie had turned up...

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by tango87

No offence meant! You're quite right, it's a great photo and presents them in a way that absolutely plays up to their mystique. And I agree that any professional photograph of the time will have been retouched or airbrushed.

The problem with this band is that they have always traded on their relationships, which has led us to the point that every image is pored over for meaning, and we end up saying it looks off because John's too far away, differently lit, and playing an upright bass, their positions seem awkward, Lindsey's over-dressed etc etc. There must be something going on! Whereas, in fact it's just a staged photo - they dressed up a bit, posed slightly uncomfortably and found a bass for John to hold.

Imagine how much more we'd have to talk about if only Stevie had turned up...

100% with everything you say. Common sense!!!

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I would not expect him to say anything different. This was his job. Any rock photographer who was photographing the band together for the first time in many years and releasing it to Rolling Stone of course would use heavy editing and air brushing to make it perfect. I only added the opinion part so we can move on. I had no position on this or cared about this until someone mentioned it. Then I thought it was an even more interesting photo because of it. All photos yield clues of photoshop or airbrushing. I will give the photographer credit. It is a fantastic photo. This conversation about it makes that point. We probably agree more than we disagree. The band hired a famous professional photographer to show the world through Rolling Stone they were back in the studio. I dont think Lindsey gets that primped to work in a studio. Its very orchestrated to give the appearance of a spontaneous studio shot. That's the creative process with photography. But when you dig a little deeper its more of a posed, highly edited photo just like any other the band put out. Peace.

holy jeebus, did anyone seriously think this was (or was even supposed to be) a 'spontaneous' shot of them actually working in the studio????

my my my people are far more naive than I ever imagined.

IT'S A PR PHOTO ffs, of course they're all dressed and made up. Jeebus come take me now.