William Silano was born on March 26, 1934, in Flushing, Queens.  He attended what was then the School of Modern Photography in Manhattan.  In the 1950s, he served in the National Guard.

Williams Silano was a widely published fashion photographer who, for the bulk of his career, was a freelance photographer.  He worked during the 1960s in Paris and London for Elle.  Upon returning to his native New York City, he worked for Harper’s Bazaar.  One assignment for Harper’s Bazaar won a gold medal from the Art Directors Club of New York.  In addition to his love of fine art photography, his other endeavors included sculpture and furniture design.