Sam Shaw’s desire to photograph film stars as they where in real life, rather than posing and fully made-up, made his work somewhat unique and fresh.

He worked with Marilyn Monroe through most of her career and he shot this iconic image of her over a subway grate in 1955 for promotional purposes during the filming of The Seven Year Itch, little knowing that it would be so widely-recognised for so many years.

Marilyn’s tragic early death in 1962 at the age of only 36 ensured that the legend she left behind remains young and vibrant, and Sam Shaw had a major part to play in it’s longevity.