It isn't unusual for a Hollywood native like Randall Slavin to grow up wanting to be an actor.
But hanging out with promising young stars steered Slavin in a different direction: photography.
During the 1990s, armed with an Olympus Stylus camera, he became the visual chronicler of Hollywood's young celebrities -- the last pre-internet generation of musicians and actors, like Hilary Swank and Charlize Theron, who at that time were still trying to make it in the business.
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"I think I was hyper aware that I was around special people," Slavin wrote in his book, "We all want something beautiful."
The book charts Slavin's career, from candid photos of his on-the-verge-of-stardom friends to his latest glossy works, revealing his aptitude for capturing unguarded emotion. Each page is filled with familiar faces, like Lindsay Lohan, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Amber Heard, Rose McGowan and Tara Reid.
"One of my main focuses is to get people to forget they're being photographed, because that's what makes people feel stiff," he said in a phone interview. "It's a joy to spend some time with these legends, so I want to use the time I have to get to know them... I like to talk a lot during my shoots."