ACC Art Books has released "Live From My Studio: The Art of Edie Baskin," the first comprehensive book showcasing the groundbreaking work of the Emmy-nominated photographer and art director who created Saturday Night Live's distinctive visual identity. The publication celebrates Baskin's extraordinary contributions to television photography and her role in shaping the iconic look of one of America's most beloved late-night shows.
Baskin's innovative work began with Saturday Night Live's debut in 1975, when her distinctive photographic style introduced a bold new visual language to late-night television. Her hand-colored photographs became a weekly fixture in the show's opening credits, establishing a unique aesthetic that would define SNL's visual identity for decades. The book presents an extensive collection of her portraits, featuring both iconic and rarely seen images of guests and musical acts who appeared on the show between 1975 and 2000.
The collection showcases portraits of some of the most influential performers of the past fifty years, including comedy legends John Belushi and Gilda Radner, as well as major stars like Steve Martin, Sting, Nicole Kidman, Mick Jagger, and Paul Simon. These subjects represent the diverse range of comedy, music, and film talent that helped define multiple eras of American entertainment. Each photograph in the collection demonstrates Baskin's mastery of her signature hand-tinting technique, a unique process that blends traditional photography with classical art methods.
Baskin's innovative hand-tinting technique creates remarkable depth of color, texture, and storytelling within each frame, setting her work apart from conventional television photography. This artistic approach transformed simple portraits into compelling visual narratives that captured both the personality of her subjects and the energy of the SNL environment. The technique has become synonymous with the show's visual heritage and continues to influence television photography today.
The photographer's work has gained renewed recognition through its recent inclusion in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's "SNL: 50 Years of Music" exhibit, highlighting her portraits as a crucial component of the show's visual history. Her images possess an almost tangible quality that evokes the backstage atmosphere of SNL, with viewers able to sense the rustling of cue cards and the sound of the live band warming up behind each photograph.
Published to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Saturday Night Live, "Live From My Studio" offers readers an intimate and visually striking record of Baskin's groundbreaking career in television photography. The 216-page book features 266 color illustrations and measures 11.22 inches by 12.8 inches, providing ample space to showcase the full impact of Baskin's artistic vision. The publication celebrates the creativity of a pioneering artist whose innovative work helped establish the visual identity of one of television's most enduring and influential cultural institutions.
