‘Saturday Night Live’ photographer on snapping Keith Richards, Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin again within the day

In 1974, photographer Edie Baskin met Lorne Michaels at a poker recreation on the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. The two turned quick associates, and, not lengthy after, they began speaking about working collectively on a undertaking Michaels had cooking.

“He had seen my photography work, so he knew what I was capable of, and, one day, he called me and told me he was moving to New York to start a show,” she instructed The Post. “I was already living in New York and looking for a job.”

The present was, after all, “Saturday Night Live,” and Baskin would go on to function its chief photographer from 1975 to 2000.

Every week, she’d shoot the host and musical friends backstage; develop and print the black-and-white pictures in a single day, after which hand-tint them with vibrant paints. The dynamic photographs — of stars resembling Nicole Kidman, Mick Jagger and George Harrison — would flash onscreen throughout the opening credit or earlier than or after a industrial break. Their pictures turned a marquee fixture that outlined the look of “SNL.”

Baksin’s portraits are again within the highlight with a brand new e book “Live From My Studio: The Art of Edie Baskin” (ACC Art Books, out Oct. 7).

Here, she shares a few of her favourite pictures from 1 / 4 of a century engaged on the present.

Lily Tomlin

Baskin had already photographed the humorous woman on a tv particular that Michaels had produced in California when she met her once more on the set of “SNL” in 1976. “It was wonderful to reconnect with her in New York,” she instructed The Post. “This particular photo was taken during the dress rehearsal for her character Edith Ann, which happens to be my legal name.” Baskin famous that she just lately spoke to Tomlin by telephone and describes the actress as unchanged. “She was still exactly the same as she’s always been: warm, gracious, and full of life. She’s truly one of a kind.”

Steve Martin

Baskin shot this picture of the comic, whose picture graces the duvet of the e book, whereas he was on a break on certainly one of his quite a few appearances as a number. “He hosted eight times during [one] stretch,” she mentioned. “Steve was wonderful to photograph because he was so expressive, and he had a real sense of style that stood out, both on camera and off.”

Paul Simon

Baskin and the musicians have been associates earlier than she began engaged on SNL. They’d first met at a Grammy after-party in Los Angeles, and Baskin had taken a portrait of him on the fireplace escape of her Soho loft that was used as an album cowl on Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years.” He’s “incredibly smart, with a great sense of humor,” she mentioned of her longtime pal.