Sad news this past weekend. The passing of John Loengard, LIFE staff photographer, and later, DOP of the same. We have lost an astute, observant mentor and picture maker. He was a wonderful photographer, with an acute sense of the peculiarity of the moment at hand, and how to render that effectively enough to make you pause, make you look, make you think. As an editor, that was, I believe, his mission. Make you think while you had that camera in your hands.
He was not an easy picture editor to work for, ’nuff said. Acerbic, occasionally biting, congratulatory in a reserved, almost grudging way. Never effusive. If you did well, he meant for you to take the lessons of this good job you had just rendered and extend the lessons thereof to the next job, where he would expect better, greater things of you. He could dismantle the artifice of a take in seconds, pointing out that the picture you felt so clever to make did not advance the story or intrigue the reader.
He and his amazing deputy, Mel Scott, ever the friend of the photog, made for one of the greatest picture editing tandems in magazines. They did the good cop, bad cop thing to a tee. You could come from John’s office feeling like you had just stood in front of a judge who gave you 15 to life for aggravated photographic mopery and reel into Mel’s office where he would calm you down, gaffer tape together the shards of your confidence, and send you off.
Thing about John was that he could see things in yourself as a photographer you did not know you had. The fanciful ideas about pictures he offered up in his office (which ranged from mildly incongruous to flat out ridiculous) were not really serious notions to be shot, but instead were the lighting of your own interior fuse. And, in the editing process, he and Mel would find salvation in your take, surprising and excellent pictures that breathed life into a story. Pictures you didn’t think you had, or didn’t think much of, so blinkered we can be as photogs, shuffling continuously through the dusty sense of our ongoing failures, like Pig Pen with a camera.
I made the above portrait of John, who preferred a look down view into the camera, for an author portrait, and as a thank you to him, and also, a tip of the hat to his style of shooting. John was a big proponent of horizontal portraiture, and was unafraid of cropping, sometimes violently, across someone’s head, into their forehead. He writes about it in Pictures Under Discussion, one of the more thought provoking tomes ever written about photography. I like to think, especially now that he is gone, that there is a silent nod here between the two of us here in this photo, from editor to photographer, teacher to pupil. Lessons that live on.
And, we shared a laugh or two along the way. Rest in peace, John. I will miss our conversations.
More tk….
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A general quote about lighting that always stuck with me and one I think of often was one that Joe mentioned from John, ”If you want something to look interesting, don’t light all of it.” Really simple, and very true.
Thanks for introducing me to John Loengard’s work, Joe. I love your writing style. It’s so conversational and full of personality, seemingly spontaneous but obviously well thought out.
Joe, my sympathies, I know you were close with John. His passing is just another “gentle” reminder that we are here for only a very short time and that we need to make every day, every minute count.
It is a very lucky person who not only has someone who will recognise when you do well, but who will also, without reservation, remind you of what you are capable of when you don’t quite reach the standard they feel you are capable of achieving.
You often speak of standing on the shoulders of those who came before. I’m just glad you have broad shoulders and are capable of bearing the weight of all those who turn to you as a guide to what they might ultimately achieve.
Stay safe my friend, and may we all be able to get a haircut soon!
Thank you for this Joe. It totally captures my dad.
RIP
One of the inspirations /reasons I became a photographer. Too sad.
Very sad to hear of his passing, Anna. I’m glad you feel my words do him a measure of justice in terms of how important he was in shaping visual communication, and how formative he was for many up and coming photogs. He was formidable, to be sure, but at his core, he simply wanted you to become a better photographer. Off to the side, I always enjoyed his wry humor and keen observance of all manner of things. He will be missed…all best, Joe
Thank you for the thoughtful note, Terry. And yes, we are all hoping to go back to the barber soon!!!
John was truly a thinker…..he could write well and observe with keen eyes. Always important to listen to him. All Best, Joe
Definitely photographic words to live by….
Thank you for sharing your love of John. Very sad loss to photography and humanity.
I’m sorry to hear of John’s passing Joe. I became aware of him through your books & discussions, and I can see why he had such an important impact on your life. Take care, Simon
Many thanks, Simon….hoping you and your family are safe and well…..all best, as always…Joe
Very sad to hear this. Another person passes and more knowledge is lost. He made some incredible photographs and will be sorely missed. In my case even more sorely missed because I didn’t take up photography until 2010 and never knew about him (or many other great photographers) when I younger. Still, his work remains and that is something we can still enjoy and learn from.
Thank You for Sharing