From the end of World War II through the 1980s, Aarons photographed the rich and famous, the beautiful and the celebrated: Hollywood royalty, European aristocracy, the grande dames of high society, captains of industry, media moguls, statesmen and stars of every sort. Though upholding the glamorous image of wealth, power, talent and beauty, he saw himself as a journalist whose duty it was to inform, and this led him to develop the environmental portrait — photographs of his subjects at home, at work, at play and mingling with each other. This type of portrait has influenced a generation of photojournalists whose work can be seen in today's lifestyle magazines. This volume shows Aarons photographs of the international elite in their exclusive playgrounds during the jet-set decades of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

Since 1940 Slim Aarons has been hard at work, first as a war photographer, then with unprecedented access as a photographer to the rich and famous. In this gorgeous sequel to Slim Aarons-Once Upon a Time, he develops the environmental portrait to the level of art, always showing his subjects in their natural setting, in a circumstance synonymous with their station in life. He documented a particular world that is vanished. A Place in the Sun is that special glimpse of privilege under a bright and beaming sky, whether on sandy shore, snowy slope, or elegant home where cares are few. Through 250 stunning color pictures, Aarons provides a veritable who's who of high society: Aristotle Onassis with his first wife, Tina, and their children, Christina and Alexander; C.Z. Guest at her villa in Palm Beach; the Aga Khan at his Sardinian resort; and Truman Capote in Palm Springs. From Mustique to Monaco, from Aspen to Gstaad, only Slim Aarons can take us on a journey to the most exclusive playgrounds of the rich, inspiring even the most jaded armchair traveler.