Mark Seliger (1959)

Mark Seliger was born in 1959 in Amarillo, Texas. His interest in photography began when his older brother promised to give Mark his Diana camera if he made a point in his Little League baseball game. Seliger didn't make the point, but he did manage to steal a base (after getting hit on the shoulder by the pitcher), making the camera now his. The darkroom became his first love and from that moment on, he devotedly practiced developing and printing at home.

Seliger attended the School of Visual Arts in Houston and then went on to study the history of documentary photography at East Texas State University, acquiring a comprehensive knowledge of the field.

Seliger moved to New York in the early 1980s and in 1987, he began shooting small assignments for Rolling Stone. In 1992, Seliger was appointed the Chief Photographer of the magazine. While working at Rolling Stone, Seliger produced over 125 covers and entered into a collaborative partnership with Design Director Fred Woodward which continues to this day. Seliger and Woodward have directed numerous music videos together for top artists such as Willie Nelson, Lenny Kravitz, and Elvis Costello.

In 2002, Seliger moved to the Conde Nast publishing house, where he is currently under contract. Since then, he has photographed numerous covers and photo spreads for magazines such as Vogue, Vogue Italia, Elle, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaarand GQ Magazine.

Seliger continues his love of the darkroom by using the platinum palladium process to create large-scale, 30”x40” prints. He currently lives and works in New York City.

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2014

Mark Seliger – Beetles + Huxley, London, England

2012        

Mark Seliger: Look and Listen – Photographers Limited Editions, Vienna, Austria

Capture – Annenberg Space for Photography, Los Angeles, California

2011

MARK SELIGER: Listen - Steven Kasher Gallery, New York City, New York

2008        

Mark Seliger – Art Basel, Casa Tua, Miam,I Beach, Florida

2006      

In My Stairwell – Fahey / Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, California

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2012        

3 Years of Photo Art – Photographers Limited Editions, Vienna, Austria

2010

Inspired - Steven Kasher Gallery, New York City, New York

2007      

Ultrasonic International II: Translating Transience – Mark Moore Gallery, California 

Awards:

2009      

Lucie Award Honoree for Achievement in Portraiture

2004      

The Society of Publication Designers Gold Medal Award of Excellence

The Society of Publication Designers Silver Medal Award of Distinctive Achievement

2002      

 The Society of Publication Designers Gold Medal Award

Country Music Video of the Year – Willie Nelson featuring LeAnn Womack

2001      

The Society of Publication Designers Gold Medal Award

American Photography Annual Certificate of Excellence

2000      

Photo District News Merit Award

American Photography Annual Certificate of Excellence for Sports Hall of Fame

1999      

Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Best Single Image

Selected Publications: 

Listen published by Rizzoli (2010) 

Mark Seliger: The Music Book published by teNeues (2008)

In My Stairwell published by Rizzoli (2005)

Lenny Kravitz/Mark Seliger published by Arena (2001)

Phsyiognomy published by Bullfinch (1999)

When They Came to Take My Father - Voices from the Holocaust published by Arcade (1996)