Classic Celebrity Photography By Michael Tighe

Michael Tighe is a photographer, writer, actor based in LA. Grew up in Manhattan, NYC. Took to photography at a very young age. His Dad was a serious amateur photographer.

Always a people photographer. Started shooting formal portraits during high school and working professionally by 17. After graduating in 1973 he studied with famed portrait photographers Philippe Halsman and Arnold Newman, major influences in his work early on. He was soon shooting regularly for Andy Warhol’s “Interview Magazine where his career took off. Leading to more magazine work with GQ, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue and some lucrative fashion work through the 1970s.

He disappeared for several years for personal private reasons... drugs, reahab, drugs, rehab again, rebuilding decimated life, stuff like that.Reemerging better than ever in the early 80s directing his attention and talents towards the entertainment business shooting for Premiere, Esquire, Time, Newsweek and the major television and movie studios. Eventually moving to LA where he continues to work.

Currently he is developing a one man show for the stage, about his life as a celebrity shooter, with photographs of course.

Michael Tighe notes about his work... “75% of everything I’ve ever shot was not paying work. Nobody asked me to shoot this stuff. These are people I sought out on my own to photograph. Most of it’s never been published or seen before.”