20 Photographs of Handsome Jon Bon Jovi in the 1990s

American musician and actor Jon Bon Jovi (born March 2, 1962) is best known as the lead singer and founder of the rock band Bon Jovi, which became popular for its power ballads, soaring guitar riffs and well-crafted melodies. By his early teens, he was hanging out at local clubs, convinced that one day he would be a rock star.

Idolizing local rising stars such as Bruce Springsteen and the Asbury Jukes, Jon was playing in clubs by the time he was 16. He met keyboardist David Bryan in high school, and the two formed a ten-piece rhythm and blues band called Atlantic City Expressway. Jon also performed with bands called The Rest, The Lechers and John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones.

In 1980, Jon recorded his first single, “Runaway”, at his cousin’s studio, with back-up by studio musicians. A local radio station included the song on a compilation tape, and it began to get frequent airplay. The success of “Runaway” got Jon noticed, and he realized that he’d need more than session players if he wanted to capitalize on his success. Jon called David, who in turn tapped Alec John Such, Tico Torres and guitarist Richie Sambora. During a show in New York in 1983, the band caught the attention of record executive Derek Shulman, who signed them to PolyGram. It was Shulman who anglicized John Bongiovi’s name to Bon Jovi.

For all of Bon Jovi’s somewhat cynical pop origins, the band made an extremely graceful and consistent transition into the 1990s. Jon Bon Jovi’s savvy grasp of a broad arena rock aesthetic helped the band avoid the pitfalls of a post-grunge rock scene that claimed many of its contemporaries in a stack of spandex rubble. The singer cut his hair and calmly produced one of the band’s best songs in “Bed of Roses”, a straightforward, melodic power ballad that helped keep Bon Jovi stable and successful.

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Some Snapshots of Amsterdam’s Red Light District in the 1990s

Amsterdam is as synonymous with tulips and cycling as it is smoking weed and sex workers advertising their services under glowing red lights.

At first glance, it may seem like the Red Light District in Amsterdam hasn’t changed much over the last few decades. Sex workers still offer their services to passers-by, and you can still find seedy bars and dealers on most corners. Yet, the area has undergone some significant changes over the past few years. The city’s efforts to “clean up” the Red Light District have led to the closure of a number of coffeeshops and prostitution windows, while the deluge of tourists strolling around the neighborhood has modified the true essence of the district.

Photographer Huub Prickaerts lived in the Red Light District in the 1990s and photographed the sex workers, cleaners, johns, criminals, neighbors, tourists, and addicts who made up the neighborhood. Because the Red Light District generally doesn’t take kindly to photographers, Prickaerts would shoot from the hip while innocently looking the other way. That technique might be questionable, but his photos are spot on.

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32 Fabulous Portrait Photos of a Young and Handsome James Spader

Born 1960 in Boston, Massachusetts, American actor James Spader had his first major film role in Endless Love (1981), and his first starring role was in Tuff Turf (1985). He rose to stardom in 1986, when he played the rich, arrogant playboy Steff in Pretty in Pink.

Spader has portrayed eccentric characters in films such as the drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), the action science fiction film Stargate (1994), the controversial psychological thriller Crash (1996), the erotic romance Secretary (2002) and Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln (2012). He also voiced and performed motion-capture of the titular character of Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).

His television roles include those of attorney Alan Shore in the last season of The Practice (1997–2004) and its spin-off Boston Legal (2004–2008) (for which he won three Emmy Awards), and Robert California in the comedy-mockumentary The Office (2005–2013).

Spader currently stars as high-profile criminal-turned-FBI-informant Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington in the NBC crime drama The Blacklist (2013–present) for which he has earned two Golden Globe Award nominations.

Take a look at these photos to see portrait of a young and handsome James Spader.

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The 'Queen of Tejano Music': Gorgeous Photos of Selena Taken by John Dyer in 1992

John Dyer is a professional photographer, with over 30 years experience, based in San Antonio. Early influenced by the work of Russell Lee and Garry Winogrand, he has spent his career documenting the people and culture of San Antonio, South Texas and his native Montana.

John has produced photographs for, among others, Time magazine, Newsweek, Elle, Fortune, Business, Money, Texas Monthly, Mas, Los Angeles magazine and Travel & Leisure. He shoots annual reports for many of the Fortune 500 companies and works for many national advertising agencies.

John’s work has been selected for publication in American Photography, Print Magazine (Certificate of Design Excellence), Communications Arts Photography Annual, Graphis Photo, Flash Magazine (Creative Excellence Award) and HOW Magazine (Self-Promotion Award). He added motion (video) to his capabilities 7 years ago and has shot a feature film (“Our Father”),  short documentaries and branding videos for a variety of clients.

John has exhibited his photographs extensively over the past 20 years at such museums and galleries as: McNay Art Museum, Museo Alameda, Witte Museum,  Bismarck Gallery, Greasewood Gallery (Marfa), Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Briscoe Museum of Western Art and others.

These gorgeous photos are a part of his work that John took the 'Queen of Tejano Music' Selena in 1992.

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Drew Barrymore, the Ultimate 90’s Fashion Muse

Drew Barrymore is the quintessential child star: Granddaughter to John Barrymore, at 11 months she had her first acting gig and stole the show in 1982’s cult movie, E.T. At 13 years old she was a regular at Studio 54 and by 1990 she had an autobiography under her high-waisted belt.

Along with Winona Ryder and Kate Moss, Drew Barrymore gloried in grunge back in the ’90s. The E.T actor loved a pair of well-worn boots and a battered leather jacket just as much as she did her colorful cardis and Vivienne Westwood heels. With her cherubic curls and daisy choker chains, Barrymore tempered her goth aesthetic with cutesy touches.

Frequently adding a slick of wine lipstick and a statement-making crucifix to her girlish, silky slips, Barrymore honed a style that was all her own on her early ’90s outings – frequently undertaken with fellow grunge queen Courtney Love in tow. It didn’t go unnoticed by the industry: not only did she become a face of Guess in 1993, she fronted a Miu Miu campaign two years later in 1995.

Ever the red-carpet rule breaker, Barrymore was as likely to show up at a premiere in ripped jeans and an oversized shirt, with a “Fuck” bum bag and a cigarette in hand, as she was to attend in a designer gown. Towards the end of the decade, she introduced a new polish, ramping up her look with crushed velvet coats and micro-handbags, but keeping a tight grasp on those playful floral accessories.

Here, take a look at some of Drew’s iconic fashion styles in the 1990s:

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Candid Portraits of British Drivers in 1994

When it comes to the car, drivers willingly give spontaneous, virtually automatic explanation – we could call ‘structural stories’ – to justify their use of it. (Freudendal–Pedersen, 2009).

In spite of the passing landscapes, motorways and drivers with their hair blowing in the wind, these photographs look deeply at the issue of social mobility. British photographer Martin Parr emphasizes social mobility to show its close correlation to travel made possible by use of a car. With this work, he revisits the social structure of English society, showing both its vertical and horizontal dimensions.

Horizontally, statements by drivers reveal how they take on a unique role behind the wheel. Even though people often play a role in their daily lives outside of the car, this role immediately becomes more intense upon contact with the later. Women described enjoying games of seduction in their cars, which offer a safe, protected environment. Men saw their company cars as symbols of their social status and rank within the company hierarchy.

Vertically speaking, the photos reveal the success and social ascension long addressed by classic sociology. The magnitude of the car’s social role makes this necessary. In such a context, alternative modes are categorically eliminated from among the possibilities. Thus does the artist reveal social spaces wherein altermobilities have very little chance of emerging.

Born in 1952, photographer Martin Parr – himself the son an amateur photographer – has authored many works in his field. He has likewise distinguished himself as an editor (of his numerous exhibitions), a professor and a documentary film production assistant. With his unique, frank view on British society, his work - what one could call a ‘social documentary’ - has earned him international recognition and acclaim.

“I feel that other women on the road react to me in a nasty hostile sort of way. For some reason this hate comes across. I mean, I give way to them so why don’t they give way to me.”

Driving in a convertible with cuddly toys on the dash board. 

“I like to think I’m quite successful because I’ve got a Cavalier 2 litre GLi. I sell industrial packaging machines – something with a bit of esteem not like Derek in Coronation Street who sells novelty items out of a bloody suitcase.”

“As far as my social life is concerned, the Metro is a no-go area. I think I’d look so much better sat in an XR2.”

G.B. ENGLAND. 1994.

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The Story Behind the Iconic Photo of Kurt Cobain With Creepy Dolls’ Heads by Mark Seliger

“Things were going pretty darn well for him. Six months later, I was shocked to learn he had passed.” – Mark Seliger

Mark Seliger, Kurt Cobain, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1993. Courtesy of the artist.

This image of Kurt Cobain is from a session that was taken about in October 1993, six months before he passed. It was for an article in Rolling Stone about the making of In Utero. This particular image feels more or less like a portrait but in a still life situation, with these antiquated doll heads on a shelf behind this cascading wall of red roses.

“I first photographed Nirvana in 1992 for Rolling Stone magazine in the midst of the band’s world tour for Nevermind, their breakthrough album. Kurt Cobain had something of a reputation, and the day before the shoot I asked Dave Grohl [the band’s drummer] and Krist Novoselic [bass] if they would be so kind as to ask Kurt to wear a T-shirt without writing or slogans on it. 

“The next day, the guys arrived for the shoot laughing. Kurt was in sunglasses, with a sweater all buttoned up. When he took it off, it turned out he was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words: “Corporate Magazines Still Suck.” Thankfully, Rolling Stone saw the humor in it and ran it on the cover. 

“This photo came about in October 1993, when the band were touring the U.S after the release of the album In Utero. Kurt remembered our previous shoot, and I think he was grateful that we hadn’t tried to interfere. The shoot took place in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was pretty smooth sailing, I think because we already had that bond. My sister helped me to order the dolls’ heads from New York, and we arranged them on an altar with rose bushes I’d picked up from a florist and left to wilt. The image was intended to be surreal – more of a still life than a portrait – but Kurt got it, and the band were really enthusiastic about the concept. 

“I tried variations with the whole band, but nothing worked quite so well as Kurt alone. There was something about him that pulled the image together. There was such intensity in his eyes and beauty in his face – even with the wear and tear of the road and the physical pain he had gone through.

“Great photography is not about lighting or technical stuff: it’s about how to engage your subjects. Having your picture taken isn’t necessarily easy, and in many ways it’s very unnatural to sit in front of the camera. But you need your subject to trust you in what is, frankly, quite a weird experience. That connection is essential to your work.

“He was quiet, but things seemed to be going pretty darn well for him at the time. He had his daughter with him, and the tour was in full force. I was in total shock when I heard the news six months later that he had passed. I couldn’t get my head around it. But I don’t think this image needs to be seen with a sense of foreboding. If anything, there’s something life-affirming about where he’s at, even if the framing is grotesque. It’s overwhelmingly about the beauty of him as a man. I only photographed him twice, but I always found him generous and gentle.”

(Interviewed by Edward Siddons for The Guardian)

January 25, 1995: Eric Cantona Kung-Fu Kicked a Fan in One of the Most Infamous Incidents in Premier League History

On January 25, 1995 Manchester United striker Eric Cantona was involved in an incident that attracted headlines and controversy worldwide. In an away match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Cantona was sent off by the referee for kicking Palace defender Richard Shaw after Shaw had frustrated Cantona throughout the game by closely marking him. As he was walking towards the tunnel, Cantona launched a ‘kung-fu’ style kick into the crowd, directed at Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons, a fan who had run down 11 rows of stairs to confront and shout abuse at Cantona. Simmons was alleged to have used the words “F**k off back to France, you French bastard.” Cantona followed the kick with a series of punches.

A lengthy ban from the game was regarded as inevitable, with some critics calling for Cantona to be deported and never allowed to play football in England again, while others called for him to be banned from football for life.

As well as disciplinary action from his club and The FA, Cantona was also faced with a criminal charge of assault, which he admitted to on March 23, resulting in a two-week prison sentence, although he was freed on bail pending an appeal. This was overturned in the appeal court a week later and instead he was sentenced to 120 hours of community service, which was spent coaching children at Manchester United’s training ground. At a press conference called later, Cantona said, in a slow and deliberate manner:

“When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much.” —Cantona’s brief, and much publicized, statement

Cantona then got up from his seat and abruptly left, leaving behind him a packed media room surprised and baffled – some roared with laughter – with those in the room trying to decipher his cryptic words. In accordance with The FA’s wishes, Manchester United’s initial action was to fine Cantona £20,000 for the assault and to confirm that he would not play for the first team for the rest of the season, although Manchester United were still in the hunt for a second double. He was also stripped of the captaincy of the French national football team by national coach Aimé Jacquet. The FA then increased the ban to eight months and fined him a further £10,000. The FA Chief Executive Graham Kelly described his attack as “a stain on our game” that brought shame on football. FIFA then confirmed the suspension as worldwide, meaning that Cantona could not escape the ban by being transferred or loaned to a foreign club. Cantona never played for the French national team again. His club eventually lost the Premier League title to Blackburn Rovers.

In 2011, Cantona said that the attack on the Crystal Palace supporter was “a great feeling” and a memory he is happy for fans to treasure, but “... it was a mistake.” In 2002, the notoriety of the Kung fu kick saw it ranked number 12 on Channel 4’s poll of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.

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20 Photos of Kevin Costner in the 1980s and 1990s

Sometimes compared to such screen legends as Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart, actor Kevin Costner was born on January 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California. He is the son of a power company employee, and his father’s job necessitated a number of moves during Costner’s youth. In his high school years, Costner struggled with insecurities because of his short stature.

Costner attended California State University in Fullerton, where he studied marketing. During college, he developed an interest in acting. Costner spent years as a struggling performer after graduating from college in 1978. He sometimes worked as a carpenter and also had a behind-the-scenes job as a gofer for Raleigh Studios for a time.

Costner began his acting career with Sizzle Beach, U.S.A. (1981). Following a few minor supporting parts, he rose to prominence with his portrayal of Eliot Ness in The Untouchables (1987). This was followed by a successful period in his career with starring roles in No Way Out (1987), Bull Durham (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), Dances with Wolves (1990), for which he won two Academy Awards, JFK (1991), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), The Bodyguard (1992), and A Perfect World (1993).

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Lost Istanbul: Beautiful Vintage Photos of the City by Renowned Photographer Ara Güler

Ara Güler (1928-2018) was an Armenian-Turkish photojournalist, also known as “the Eye of Istanbul.” A prominent global representative of the country’s creative photography, his pictures brought significant recognition of Turkey, and particularly Istanbul, abroad. Güler’s profound love for his hometown and its inhabitants is well expressed in his images: everyday people always busy with their life, at day and night, on water or land, in small alleys or on major streets. 

Take a look back at the city through 30 stunning vintage photographs taken by Güler from the 1950s to 1990s:

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