2008年2月9日
1982年，Dick Zimmerman與Michael Jackson合作創作了《Thriller》專輯的封面。
這位傑出的攝影家在此回憶了更多關於這次合作的事宜，分享了這次傳奇性照片拍攝中的珍貴時刻：
第一次見面
“我第一次見到Michael Jackson是在好萊塢貝弗利大道的一間錄音室。在好萊塢，那時他那張史上最暢銷專輯已完成了四分之三。哥倫比亞唱片公司表示，這個項目，將在我自己和另一位我現在都沒被透露姓名的著名攝影師中選擇一人來做。
“Michael想在決定誰來和他合作唱片包裝前，親自見見這兩位候選人。當我和Michael又為他其他一些項目合作過一段的時間後，我知道他想要的是行業內的頂尖人才，但不會自高自大，而是非常有創造性並值得信賴的人。更重要的是，他必須要善解人意地對待他，而不是冒犯或威嚇他。
“我對Michael的第一印象是他緩慢而小心的穿過我們將要見面的錄音室的門，他比我想像中更高更瘦。他握手的方式非常精緻，幾乎感覺不到的輕輕一壓，我也有意識的以同樣的方式握了回去。
“我們開始聊天，Michael用他細細的嗓音問了一些我的愛好。我可以講他問問題的方式很狡猾，我也同樣被很細致的觀察著。那是我第一次意識到：一個和他工作合拍的人，對Michael而言，是多麼重要，因為這樣他才能覺得舒服。我們的見面持續了20分鐘，最後很友好的道了別。”
電話回音
“三天之後，我接到了從哥倫比亞唱片公司打來的電話，告訴我第一階段已經結束，現在Michael想要到我的攝影棚來看看我拍過的照片。我攝影棚門口的門鈴本來音量很高，但他卻只輕柔地用敲門代之。我沒有讓秘書去開門，我想要親自為Michael開門。我想讓Michael知道我本人非常真誠且平易近人，也想要盡力避免任何他有可能產生不適的狀況。自然，我通過了考核，兩天后我收到了來自哥倫比亞唱片公司的確認，Michael選我為他效力，而專輯照片拍攝的日程則被定在了兩周之後。
“哥倫比亞唱片公司給我的酬勞是4000美金，在那時已經很好了（對一張專輯的封面而言已經是最貴的了）。在接下來的兩周裏，我與哥倫比亞唱片公司的創意官員們，以及Freddie Demand——Michael那時的經紀人——會面了無數次，其目的是創作一張讓每個人都覺得滿意的專輯封面。”
拍攝當天
“拍攝當天終於到來了，我已雇好洛杉磯最好的風尚設計師之一，並帶去了許多套不同種類的衣服，開始了我們繁瑣地為封面和內頁的選衣過程。在淘汰了一個小時的衣服後，Michael沒有發現任何讓他喜歡得發狂的衣物。我也開始急躁不安了一會兒，接著我卻發現Michael正注意著我穿的白色套裝。他問我是否有類似的。我們沒有，所以我問他是否介意就穿我的。考慮到他的選擇，那確實也是他想要的。幸運的是，對拍攝的過程和花費的時間而言，這套衣服的確合適。
“在休息時，Michael站在落地鏡前練習連續的旋轉，這個充滿著傳奇性的動作如今我們大家都已經非常熟悉了。他在鏡子前非常的活躍，這實在令人著魔，因為他在拍攝過程中總顯得既羞怯又節制。午餐時間他從一個素食餐廳帶來了一份特殊的套餐，從第三大道那裏買的，那是他在城裏的最愛。事實上，幾個月後，他就把那個廚師雇為他自己的私人廚師，直到今天。
“拍攝過程持續了6個小時，與往常相比並沒有發生什麼特別的問題。在這天結束時，我們互相道了別，並約好幾天后商討結果。大概四天以後，照片出來了，我們在Michael位於貝弗利大道的一個錄音室裏見了面。Michael正在錄制一首曲目。我將我的看版臺安裝好，並鋪好膠片，這樣Michael就能同時看到所有的片子了。”
專輯封面
“Michael心情非常好地走進錄音室。他檢視了膠片，為他所看到的一切感到非常興奮而高興。他說，‘有這麼多好照片，我簡直不知如何選擇了！’他讓我等一分鐘，走回錄音室，出來時把Quincy Jones也一併帶了出來。Quincy看過膠片後，毫不猶豫的向我指明一張說：‘這就是封面！’
The First Meeting
"I first met Michael Jackson at a recording studio on Beverly Blvd. in Hollywood , where he was three quarters of the way through finishing what would be the largest selling album in history. CBS records indicated that the project was between myself and another very well known photographer whose identity was never divulged to me.
Michael wanted to personally meet both candidates before deciding who he wanted to work with on the album package. I know now after having worked a substantial amount of time with Michael on other projects since, that he needed someone that was at the top of his profession, wasn't egotistical, was trustworthy and creative. But most importantly someone who would treat him with delicacy and consideration, who wasn't threatening or offending.
My first impression of Michael as he slowly and carefully moved through the studio doors where our meeting would take place was that he was taller and thinner than I had expected. His hand shake was very delicate with hardly a squeeze, and I was very conscious to return the same.
As we talked, Michael would ask me questions in his whispered voice about my likes and dislikes. I could tell from the way he poised his questions, that in a sly way, I was being highly scrutinized. That's when I first realized how important it was to Michael to work with the exact kind of person that would make him feel comfortable. Our meeting lasted about twenty minutes and we parted with a cordial good-bye.
The Call Back
Three days later I received a phone call from CBS Records saying that phase one was over and now Michael wanted to come to see my studio and look at my photographs. My studio entrance has a loud buzzer, but instead there was a very gentle knock at the door. Rather than have my secretary answer the door, I wanted to answer it myself. I wanted Michael to know that I was real and approachable and also wanted to avoid anything that may have had the potential of creating an uncomfortable situation for Michael. Evidently I passed the test as I received confirmation two days later from CBS that Michael had selected me to do the honors, and the album shoot was scheduled to take place in two weeks.
My fee from CBS was to be $4,000.00 - which was very good back then (and just about top dollar for an album cover). During the next two weeks I had various meetings with the creative heads from CBS and Freddie Demand, Michael's Manager at that time. The purpose was to create a visual direction for the album that everyone agreed on.
Shoot Day
The day of the shoot arrived, I had hired one of the best fashion stylists in LA to gather a large variety of wardrobe, and we began the arduous process of selecting attire for the cover and inside spread. After about an hour of weeding through the clothes, Michael couldn't find anything he was crazy about. I started to panic for a moment, then I noticed Michael looking at the white suit I was wearing. He asked if we had anything like it. We didn't, so I asked him if he would like to wear mine. Considering his choices, this was exactly what he wanted. Fortunately for the shoot and the time involved, the suit fit.
We had decided prior to the shoot that Michael would have a tiger cub in the shots so we had a selection for him to choose from. He loved a six week old cub but was very squeamish about letting it get to close to his face because of possible scratches from its claws. Throughout the shoot I had to get Michael to forget about the possibility of getting scratched, and to focus his attention on me and the camera.
During breaks Michael would stand in front of a full length mirror and practice continual spins, the legendary ones that are now so familiar to us all. He would come alive in front of that mirror. It was fascinating, because he had such a shy and subdued manner throughout the photo session. For lunch he ordered a special meal brought in from a vegetarian restaurant...the ----- on 3rd Avenue , which is his favorite in town. In fact, a few months later he would hire that chef as his personal cook, and to this day.
The shoot lasted about 6 hours with no particular problems out of the ordinary. At the days end, we said good-bye, and arranged to meet in a few days to go over the results. About four days later the photos were ready and we met at Michael's recording studio on Beverly Boulevard . Michael was in the middle of finishing up one of the tracks, so I set up my light table and spread out the transparencies so he could see them all at one time.
The Album Cover
Michael walked into the studio - he was in a very good mood. He looked over the transparencies and was very excited and pleased with what he saw. He said "There are so many good ones here, how can I ever make a decision?" He told me to hold on a minute, and went to the back of the studio. After a moment, he came back out with Quincy Jones. Quincy took one look at the transparencies and without any hesitation pointed to one, and said "That's the cover!"
That was the fastest I have ever seen anyone pick a final transparency for anything, and it was a good choice. I was happy, Michael was happy, the label was happy, and I guess the world was happy."
This oil painted montage was created from three individual Dick Zimmerman photographic sessions with Michael Jackson throughout the fifteen years of their working and social relationship. The three sessions, in sequence, are the Thriller album cover, Steven Spielberg's ET album narrated by Michael Jackson, and the exclusive wedding portraits of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley.
"THRILLER 2009"
This oil painting of the Thriller album was created in August 2009 by Dick Zimmerman.
It is a fully oil painted Thriller album from the original cover created by Dick Zimmerman in 1982.
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