sean shaver

[bogarcon]

hey, does anyone know who sean shaver is? i only know he was elvis' photographer, i heard he was dead!/just died
is that true?

I know Sean for many years, since 1972, when I became a member of his ``house of Presley`` fc (he change the name later for ``El`s Angels EPFC``) and saw him the last time in Memphis in 1997 at the Ramada Inn Covention. To me, I always did good trade with him and good ``buys``...but after a while and a very strange story about a book that he was going to sell but never published..I think..this strory and others ``talk-talk`` change my mind about him and I never saw him or talk to him since `97...have a nice day, bogarcon.

[JudyMcKinn]

This looks like an old post, but I wanted to toss out something. I met Sean about 1968 or so, when I joined his Elvis fan club. He contacted me because I had made some comments he only thought a serious fan would know. I met him several times after that, both at his home, and he came to mine. We traded Elvis products. When I met him, he didn't have a camera, or know how to use one. When Elvis appeared in Kansas City, (what was the year, 1969 or so?) Sean had a section of front row seats, and gave me one of them, so I could take pictures for him, with my 35mm camera. He had borrowed a movie camera from a friend and hoped to get some good pictures with it. I explained about 35 mm cameras, telephoto lens for better close-up pictures of Elvis on stage, etc, and he became very interested in getting a 35mm and learning to use it. He apparently did.
About 1977 he came out with a beautiful book, "The Life of Elvis" A few of the pictures in it are ones I took. He has autographed the book to me "To Judy. Thanks for getting me into photography. Sean Shaver"
Anyway, I haven't any contact with him since around 1977, as I had married and Elvis died. He stopped the Elvis fan club, as he said with Elvis dead, there wasn't much news. He started one for someone else--I think the Suprimes, but not sure.
Just wanted to note that his noteriety with Elvis photographs has gotten out of hand--he only started taking photos around 1969 or so. He never traveled with Elvis, and only took photos when he could, like any fan. However, he went to so many of Elvis' concerts, etc, that he did acquire a lot of photos. He also acquired a lot of photos from others. He has some a friend gave me copies of, from when Elvis was on Lousiana Hayride, taken in the parking lot talking to fans. He has some I took when Elvis took a train from memphis to CA to be on the Frank Sinatra Show, when the train stopped in Dallas, where I was working at the time. And he has photos I took when Elvis appeared at the Houston Astrodome, --the entertainment in the middle of the World Championship rodeo, and photos I took when Elvis appeared in Dallas, and in St. Louis. Anyway, hope that will clear up some of this.
I, too, would like to know more about what happened to Sean. Judy

[MIElvis]

For those of you who ever dealt with sean shaver you know that you would never hear from him, and if you in fact ever did get a book it took months or even a year or longer.

[srj1967]

For those of you who ever dealt with sean shaver you know that you would never hear from him, and if you in fact ever did get a book it took months or even a year or longer.

Not necessarily true. I was in contact with him during the 80s and early 90s. Yes, he took his time sending books, but he always sent them as soon as they were published, and (for the most part) they were well worth the wait.

There is no way Sean would've intentionally taken payment for a book a not sent it. Also, he was dealing with a lot of personal illness back in the day, so cop him some slack.

If you're suggesting you sent money for a book and it never arrived, then I'd suggest it got lost in the mail or the payment itself went astray.

Sean may have faked one or two pics in his life, but (unlike that ghoul Paul Lichter) he was certainly no rip-off merchant.

So, has anyone managed to confirm yet if he's alive or dead?

[Leroy]

This looks like an old post, but I wanted to toss out something. I met Sean about 1968 or so, when I joined his Elvis fan club. He contacted me because I had made some comments he only thought a serious fan would know. I met him several times after that, both at his home, and he came to mine. We traded Elvis products. When I met him, he didn't have a camera, or know how to use one. When Elvis appeared in Kansas City, (what was the year, 1969 or so?) Sean had a section of front row seats, and gave me one of them, so I could take pictures for him, with my 35mm camera. He had borrowed a movie camera from a friend and hoped to get some good pictures with it. I explained about 35 mm cameras, telephoto lens for better close-up pictures of Elvis on stage, etc, and he became very interested in getting a 35mm and learning to use it. He apparently did.
About 1977 he came out with a beautiful book, "The Life of Elvis" A few of the pictures in it are ones I took. He has autographed the book to me "To Judy. Thanks for getting me into photography. Sean Shaver"
Anyway, I haven't any contact with him since around 1977, as I had married and Elvis died. He stopped the Elvis fan club, as he said with Elvis dead, there wasn't much news. He started one for someone else--I think the Suprimes, but not sure.
Just wanted to note that his noteriety with Elvis photographs has gotten out of hand--he only started taking photos around 1969 or so. He never traveled with Elvis, and only took photos when he could, like any fan. However, he went to so many of Elvis' concerts, etc, that he did acquire a lot of photos. He also acquired a lot of photos from others. He has some a friend gave me copies of, from when Elvis was on Lousiana Hayride, taken in the parking lot talking to fans. He has some I took when Elvis took a train from memphis to CA to be on the Frank Sinatra Show, when the train stopped in Dallas, where I was working at the time. And he has photos I took when Elvis appeared at the Houston Astrodome, --the entertainment in the middle of the World Championship rodeo, and photos I took when Elvis appeared in Dallas, and in St. Louis. Anyway, hope that will clear up some of this.
I, too, would like to know more about what happened to Sean. Judy

Thank you Judy for your reply. Very interesting piece.

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

The fans and the general public are happy with Images that have been manipulated. In this day and age especially as there are never going to be any new Images taken. The public do not however like fake or misrepresented photo's for monetary gain!

As Leroy has already stated, the record companies have been manipulating Elvis' Image for decades mainly for artistic reasons or to touch up pictures to improve Elvis' Image.

Thankfully there are those people who are dedicated fans who are there to debunk the fakes and ensure the industry stays true to the originals..... there will come a day when there will be few people in the know to point out those fakes

[ksimms2]

wow...Judy...thanks for telling us your story....sounds to me like you are the real photographer here....as for photo's of Elvis...I have been buying off ebay - but only originals if I can help it - but have also found and contacted Bob Heis another photographer who took fantastic shots of Elvis in concert and order from him direct - he prints from his original negatives. I've never had any dealings with Sean's photo's to my knowledge.

[KPM]

Not necessarily true. I was in contact with him during the 80s and early 90s. Yes, he took his time sending books, but he always sent them as soon as they were published, and (for the most part) they were well worth the wait.

There is no way Sean would've intentionally taken payment for a book a not sent it. Also, he was dealing with a lot of personal illness back in the day, so cop him some slack.

If you're suggesting you sent money for a book and it never arrived, then I'd suggest it got lost in the mail or the payment itself went astray.

Sean may have faked one or two pics in his life, but (unlike that ghoul Paul Lichter) he was certainly no rip-off merchant.

So, has anyone managed to confirm yet if he's alive or dead?

I tried to track him down a few years ago. I was told he was dead,-"that he wanted people to think he was dead" because he got into some trouble with orders not being sent out-that he moved to Mexico and retired from the Elvis pic biz and that he was in Canada retired from the Elvis pic biz. The site which sold his books has not been updated for years (at least the last time I was at it) and there was a cryptic message that the site was dedicated to Sean Shaver who spent so much of his life taking pictures of Elvis. So whether he is alive or dead I don't know. Too many rumors. (I read Ernst Jorgenson was trying to get in touch with him a few years back also.)

[JudyMcKinn]

Maybe the reason no one can find out of Sean is dead or alive is that his name really isn't Sean? When I was at his home a couple times, he had a friend with the nickname "Bear". Bear said somethng to him and called him "Mitch". He said "Call me Sean" and Bear said, in sort of a joking aside to me "he always wants to be called something. I can't keep track. He did want to be called Mitch, and about the time I got used to that, he wants to be called Sean". ??

[TotallyInsane]

Did you use to be Judy Palmer? If so, I tried contacting you from a name and address on the back of some pictures I saw that were taken by you. If it's you, please let me know. I'm interested in knowing if you have any pictures taken in Las Vegas on 12/12/76? I received a scarf at that show and I've been searching for a picture ever since. I also got 3 other scarves but don't think I would have been as easily seen as 12/12/76 since I was on top of a table. Were you there?

[KPM]

Maybe the reason no one can find out of Sean is dead or alive is that his name really isn't Sean? When I was at his home a couple times, he had a friend with the nickname "Bear". Bear said somethng to him and called him "Mitch". He said "Call me Sean" and Bear said, in sort of a joking aside to me "he always wants to be called something. I can't keep track. He did want to be called Mitch, and about the time I got used to that, he wants to be called Sean". ??

Its just odd that so much differing information about Sean has circulated for the last 3-4years. If he has retired from being involved with his pictures or just wants to be left alone-why not just say so. Most people would respect that I think (I hope anyway) But to have this mystery for a few years seems silly.

[Getlo]

I just can't get over the fact that, after all these years, Sean still hasn't published The Elvis Book Volume 1 !

For years, I've had Volumes 2 -4 sitting on the shelf. Excellent books, but there's always been that gap! (I'm anal like that, I like complete sets of things ... )

[medleyofcostumes]

At least you have the other volumes!!

I would like to have a copy myself, but the prices some are asking for a second hand copy are to say the least obscene!