Marysa Maslansky, a prominent figure in the photography world, passed away on Oct. 9 at her home in Los Angeles following an extended illness, according to a family spokesperson. She was 82 years old.
Born in Pas-de-Calais, France on April 27, 1944, Maslansky relocated to Los Angeles in 1969 and began her career in the photography industry as a journalist for Sygma Photo News agency. She subsequently held a leadership position at Gamma Liaison, the Los Angeles division of the French photo agency Gamma, before launching her own venture.
In 1980, Maslansky established Visages Photo Agency, which grew to represent numerous high-profile photographers spanning celebrity and fashion photography. The agency’s roster included photographers such as Herb Ritts, Mary Ellen Mark, George Hurrell, William Claxton, Greg Gorman, Matthew Rolston, Paul Jasmin, Sofia Coppola, Brad Branson, and Firooz Zahedi. During its operational years, the agency played a significant role in advancing photographers’ careers; Herb Ritts, for instance, increased his daily rate from approximately $750 to roughly $20,000 by 1990, positioning him among the highest-paid commercial photographers in the country at that time.
Visages ceased operations in 2000 as the photography industry underwent major shifts, including the transition to digital technology, industry consolidation, and intensified competition from larger syndicates such as Getty Images and Corbis. Maslansky was previously married to Michael Maslansky, a co-founder of what became PMK Public Relations, from 1975 until his death in 1993. She is survived by her current husband Christopher, son Max, and daughter-in-law Nancy. Her son Alex died in 2023 at age 43.
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