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HERMAN LEONARD

1923 - 2010

BiographyAcclaimed jazz photographer, Herman Leonard, was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and served as a military photographer in Burma during World War II. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in photography from Ohio University and began working with Yousef Karsh, a Canadian portraitist. Settling in New York in 1949, Leonard began photographing jazz musicians at various jazz clubs on Broadway and Fifty Second Streets, and in Harlem for such publications as Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Life, Look, Playboy, and Time. He later moved to Paris to begin a fashion and advertising business. He also continued photographing jazz musicians. In 1988 Leonard presented his first exhibition, "Images of Jazz," in London. This show established his reputation as a leading photographer of jazz musicians and sparked further shows and publications.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives/d6445.htm#top, accessed on 3/26/12
Link to a longer bio. - http://www.hermanleonard.com/bio.htm
Obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/arts/music/18leonard.html

Entered by Kirsten Weber, curatorial assistant, 3/27/2012

Person TypeIndividual