The passing of a legend, Herman Leonard...

[Dorothy Blum Cooper]

Herman Leonard
March 6, 1923 - August 14, 2010


What a legend...what a man. Bobby and I had the great fortune of meeting and spending some time with Herman while he lived in New Orleans. The time we did spend with him was priceless. We thank both he and Jenny Bagert for their generosity and thoughtfulness. Our best to his family and friends.

http://www.hermanleonard.com/

One of THE greatest Jazz Photographers ever. You will be missed, Herman.

Dorothy & Bobby Cooper-

Dead Link Removed

Photo taken by my husband, Bobby Cooper, when Herman had an exhibit across the lake in our town of Covington, Louisiana, 2003.

 

[benjiboy]

H Dorothy, nice to see you posting again, I've been a long time jazzo and have admired Mr Leonard s work for more than twenty year s, and I am very sorry to hear of his death. I saw a wonderful documentary on the TV in the UK last year about him , his work, and how the floods in New Orleans affected him.

 

[Black Dog]

That's really sad news -his work was magical.

 

[MattKing]

I hadn't realized he had apprenticed to Yousuf Karsh.

Here is a link to the story on the CBC's website:

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2010/08/17/herman-leonard-jazz-photographer.html

 

[eddym]

Nice piece about him, including some great photos, on ABC news last night!

 

[clogz]

He was a great photographer...through his pictures he showed how much he loved jazz! Photography is not just about recording , it is about conveying.

 

[keithwms]

It is a huge loss, his work was brilliant:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11000692

 

[Jeff Kubach]

He is legend for sure. RIP Herman.

Jeff

 

[Dorothy Blum Cooper]

Hi Ben...yes, it's been awhile since I've been on Apug. I've missed it here!

As for Herman...we received an email on Sunday regarding his passing from his rep and manager in Los Angeles, Geraldine Baum. I had heard from her just a week or so prior, that Herman was not in the best of health (something he had always been in). He was always so outgoing, a vibrant man and full of energy!

We truly felt so honored and blessed to have known him. My husband was able to visit with him on a few occasions at his home in New Orleans (we lived about 45 minutes away at that time). On one visit in particular, Herman invited us to 'tour' his darkroom. Quite impressive, to say the least!

When Katrina struck, we made our move to North Carolina, Herman to Los Angeles. Our daughter was hoping to fly out for a photo session with Herman last year (she's a model) but she was never able to get out there.

Great loss to the photography world, jazz world and most importantly, to his family and friends. Great man indeed!! He will be missed.

 

[Tony Egan]

He da man!
http://johnedwinmason.typepad.com/john_edwin_mason_photogra/2010/08/herman-leonard-1923-2010.html

 

[Black Dog]

You can see the Karsh influence but he had his own very special talent for sure.

 

[MattKing]

He da man!
http://johnedwinmason.typepad.com/john_edwin_mason_photogra/2010/08/herman-leonard-1923-2010.html

Wonderful link - thanks Tony.

 

[benjiboy]

On further reflection while I do admire Mr Leonard's work and am sorry to hear about his death, if I last to be eighty seven years old, I think I'll have had a good innings.

 

[eddym]

On further reflection while I do admire Mr Leonard's work and am sorry to hear about his death, if I last to be eighty seven years old, I think I'll have had a good innings.

The test will be if you can say that when you are 86-1/2!

 

[CGW]

Leonard, Francis Wolff and William Claxton owned jazz photography--nothing else came close.

 

[benjiboy]

The test will be if you can say that when you are 86-1/2!

If I live that long I'll probably be so pissed off with the way the World is and the direction It's going I'll be happy to go