Jini Dellaccio: "Her Aim Is True"

The Story of The Photographer of The Sonics and The Wailers

Posted November 22, 2011 by Dan Rahe

Some artists simply inspire us with their work, while others lead monumental lives – lives too surreal to seem familiar. But sometimes, we encounter great artists with lives of ordinary challenges overcome in extraordinary ways. Then, we are enriched not only by their art, but by the urgent sense of possibility they reveal to us.

Ninety-four-year-old musician and photographer Jini Dellaccio is that rare sort, living a life that inspires and challenges, while producing art with intense vitality and originality. She and her lens entered music history by depicting Tacoma’s brash young garage bands of the 1960’s – most notably The Wailers and The Sonics, posing at her Gig Harbor home. But her story did not end there.

Dellaccio’s journey as a photographer is surprising, and her talent seems to spring from her with enviable effortlessness. Photo Center Northwest is currently hosting an exhibition of her truly stunning work, some of which you can view online.

Now, for the first time, her life story is being told in a documentary film called “Her Aim is True”. You can watch a trailer and view stills here.

For some time now, I have been discussing the progress of this project with its producer/director, Karen Whitehead. “My hope is that by capturing Jini’s creativity and innovation in this film, we will contribute to the preservation of an important photographic legacy that could have been overlooked,” she says – a sentiment familiar to many of us who care about Tacoma’s history.

Whether we are aware of it or not, most of us have seen Jini Dellacio’s work. After creating her signature photographs of Tacoma’s hottest bands, she went on to become a prolific and influential rock photographer. Her 1967 photographs of Neil Young are nothing short of iconic - the fringe jacket, the flying bird pose – visually distilling the sound and persona of one of the era’s most influential figures (that photo is listed amongst the most unforgettable shots in rock music history by Shutterbug Magazine here).

Despite Dellaccio’s deep connection to Northwest music, Karen Whitehead says, “During the two years of filming, countless Seattle-based people have said to me, ‘Jini who?’ I was stunned that an innovative artist like Jini, who documented such an exciting period in the 1960s music scene, has been completely overlooked as a documentary subject. But it adds to my determination that Jini’s story as an unheralded master of the genre of rock photography reaches a wide audience.”

By the time Jini Dellaccio arrived in Gig Harbor, she had already led an intriguing life propelled by fearless curiosity and initiative. During her youth, she travelled the country for twelve years in an all-female jazz band. After marrying, leaving the band and moving to Chicago, a stroll past the Art Institute led her to consider painting lessons. She enrolled as a student, and found she was a natural. It wasn’t long before her skill with painting and composition led her to designing posters and ads. Soon, she was getting regular graphic design work.

While talking to National Public Radio about her quick success in the graphic design business, Dellaccio tellingly said, “Anything they’d ask, ‘Oh yes, I can do that’. And I’d do it.”

It was not surprising then that her purchase of a beautiful Leica camera (the same brand famously used by Henri Cartier-Bresson) revealed her natural abilities as a photographer. Almost incessantly, she took pictures of people she found interesting. Her husband’s job took them away from Chicago to California, where by coincidence and word of mouth, she became a fashion photographer.

When the couple left California for Gig Harbor, it seemed Jini’s photography career was over. But, once again, her quick adaptability led to new opportunities, such as taking pictures for The Wailers’ record cover in her backyard. Her strengths as a fashion photographer can be seen in these images – the confident, somewhat defiant self-possession of her subjects is conveyed clearly. She captured a wild elegance emanating from each youthful face.

“When you meet Jini there is something immediately intriguing about her,” says Whitehead. “I really wanted to explore in the course of the film how this elegant woman wound up spending her middle age with the likes of The Wailers and The Sonics who were producing such gritty, hard core punkish sounds with songs like ‘Strychnine’, ’Psycho’, and ‘The Witch’.”

With little fanfare or recognition, Jini Dellaccio captured stunning musical moments in her photographs. “The core of what Jini was doing was being a documentarian – very much like the role of the modern filmmaker,” says Whitehead. ”At the time she was ‘observing’ her subjects, Jini rarely posed them in studio photo shoot mode, but shot them against the backdrop of nature – clearly being themselves… So with this in mind, as I considered how to make this film, my directing style was influenced by a nod to The Beatles’ groundbreaking mockumentary ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ – which was fitting as several of the bands Jini photographed had just seen that film, before she worked with them, and had great memories of it.”

It was the compelling storytelling in Jini’s art itself that drew Karen Whitehead to her work and inspired her to begin filming “Her Aim Is True.” “Once I had spent some time with Jini, I knew I could craft something much more than a retrospective about an interesting- if unknown – artist,” Whitehead said. “This is undoubtedly a remarkable journey in life and art that can have universal appeal – and thanks to Jini’s incredible talent for storytelling, vivid memories and energy and charm – it is also full of fun, revealing moments.”

For “Her Aim Is True”, Karen Whitehead collaborated closely with Gabe Kean’s award-winning Seattle design studio, Belle & Wissel. The cinematography – certainly a pivotal element in any film about a photographer – is by John Jeffcoat, director and co-writer of the very successful film “Outsourced”.

Complementing the biographical elements, “Her Aim Is True” will include testimony of Charles Peterson, Alice Wheeler and Lance Mercer – photographers influenced by Dellaccio who have worked with such artists as Nirvana, Neko Case and Pearl Jam. As Whitehead said, “The production team wants to create something that is still relevant today, and speaks to all of us about pursuing our artistic direction, exploring the art of the possible. An integral part of this documentary journey is crafting an intimate and fascinating exploration of how an ordinary life could become so extraordinary.”

After spending years caring for her ailing husband, who has since passed away, Dellaccio is still actively pursuing her artistic interests. In fact, even at 94, she is still working with up-and-coming rock bands, such as Seattle’s The Moondoggies (who hold a special place in the music rotation at The Red Hot).

Despite the difficulties of a comatose economy, “Her Aim Is True” has benefited from innovative support and creative passion. The film is nearing completion, but a few challenges remain. The festival circuits lie ahead, and some b-roll footage still needs to be shot.

“Now I am trying to raise my final few thousand dollars for a B-roll shoot day in the Tacoma area, to complete the film,” Whitehead explains. “My editor and I are working on scenes so that we can submit a complete version of the film to film festivals in 2012, and gain the attention of broadcasters – but we really need this B roll material to do so.”

There is opportunity for you to invest in this final stage of the filming effort. At the production blog, you can make a tax deductible contribution to “Her Aim Is True”. A gift of $50 will get your name listed in the credits as a supporter of the film. You can also learn more by following the project on Facebook and Twitter.

There is another way you may be able to participate in this unique documentary project. Karen is on the lookout for vintage home video or photos from the Northwest teen dance scene of the 1960s:

“If you or your relatives captured some fun times at the Tacoma Armory or the Spanish Castle for example, please let us know. Maybe you were there when dozens of bands like The Wailers, Little Bill and the Bluenotes, the Regents and The Sonics were playing these venues – we would love to hear from you!”

You can get in touch with the team behind “Her Aim Is True” via the blog, facebook and twitter links mentioned above, or by contacting the filmmaker at heraimistrue@karenjwhitehead.com.

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