1906- Born on May 2 in Riga, Latvia to parents Max Halsman and Ita Grintuch.

1921- Discovers father’s old view camera and begins taking pictures.

1924- Graduates from high school first in his class, enrolls at University in Dresdin, Germany to study electrical engineering.

1930- Moves to Paris, begins work as a portrait photographer.

1932- Opens studio at 22 Delambre in Montparnasse section of Paris.

1936- Designs a 9x12 cm twin-lens reflex camera, which is built by a cabinetmaker whose grandfather (Alphonse Giroux) who made the first camera for Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre, inventor of photography.

1934-40- Work appears in magazines Vouge, Vu and Voila.

1940- With the aid of Albert Einstein, Mr. Halsman obtains an emergency visa to enter the United States.  Carrying only a suitcase and his camera, Mr. Halsman joins his wife and daughter in New York City.

1941- Meets Salvador Dali, they begin an artistic collaboration that spans thirty years.

1942- First Life cover is published.

1945- Elected the first president of the American Society of Magazine Photographers (ASMP).

1947- Photographs Albert Einstein at Princeton.  Designs an improved version of his twin-lens reflex camera in 4x5-inch format.  Three prototypes, known as the Halsman-Fairchild, were produced.

1948- Becomes a United States citizen.

1949- Publishes The Frenchman (Simon & Schuster), a book of photographs of French film star, Fernandel.

1951- Fiftieth Life cover published.

1952- Marilyn Monroe cover story published in Life.

1953- Publishes Piccoli, a Fairy Tale (Simon & Schuster).

1954- Publishes Dali’s Mustache (Simon & Schuster), a collaboration of surrealistic images created by both Halsman and Dali.

1958- Chosen as one of the “Worlds Ten Greatest Photographers” in an international poll conducted by Popular Photography.

1959- Publishes Phillipe Halsman’s Jump Book (Simon & Schuster), consisting of eminent public figures jumping for Mr. Halsman.

1961- Publishes Phillipe Halsman on the Creation of Photographic Ideas (Ziff-Davis).

1962- Joins an elite group of photographers including Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Alfred Eisenstaedt and many others to form the Famous Photographers School.

1963- Honored with the Newhouse Citation for journalistic achievement from Syracuse University School of Journalism.

1969- Makes official portrait of President Richard M. Nixon.

1970- Publishes One-hundredth Life cover.

1972- Life ends weekly publication after thirty-six years.

1975- Receives the American Society of Magazine Photographers award for Life Achievement in Photography.

1979- Phillipe Halsman dies in New York City on June 25.