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William Claxton, jazz photographer, dies at 80
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Iconic photo of Chet Baker by William Claxton
William Claxton, one of the first photographers to capture the life and personalities of jazz musicians outside of studio or club shots, went to the great jazz club in the sky this weekend. He was 80 years old, passing away one day shy of his 81st birthday.
I was a big fan of his work even before I knew who he was. I've never been a great musician (I try to play the guitar...with a stress on the word "try") but I love music. I would come across these photos that captured the essence of jazz and the people who played it, and I barely gave it a second thought until I tried to shoot photos of my own that were like that. This quote from him, found in PDN's January 2006 Legends issue sums up his photography.
“My wife Peggy says photography is jazz for the eye. I can’t separate the two. They’re so similar. You study, you get the basic framework down, then you improvise based on a plan.”
His photography is jazz, cool, creative and from the soul. He applied his technique to musicians, actors and other celebrities, as well as fashion.
Photographic Memory and Jazz Life, two books that showcase his Claxton's imagery and experience, are available from booksellers.
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