Burt Glinn 1925-2008

Sad to see another great photographer pass away, so soon after Philip Jones Griffiths.

Comment posted by Jan-Edward Dijkhuizen on April 9, 2008

It thik it was François Truffaut who said: I understand I become older as all the people I know dies.
Freed, Griffiths and now Glinn. Great photographer I know even if not personally but "only" for their pictures passed away and I am older and older...............

Comment posted by Lino on April 9, 2008

So sad to hear this.
I was Burt's assistant for almost 2 years in the beginning of the 90's.
A wonderful personality & a talented photographer.
I learned so much from him.

Comment posted by Ben Russell on April 9, 2008

No one could sum up a situation before taking a portrait the way Burt could. And a raconteur among the best -sometimes excessive name dropping, tales from college, having read a book in galleys -whatever it took, but it worked. Flattery will get you everywhere. I had the pleasure of watching this when Burt did some assignments for our design firm in the Eighties
We are so grateful for the wonderful images he left behind. A specai Era. A special Photographer.

Comment posted by Anthony Russell on April 9, 2008

An inspirational and truly talented photographer. He will surely be missed...

Comment posted by Sana Manzoor on April 9, 2008

This is very sad. I met Burt Glinn in 1949 soon after my husband and I immigrated to the U.S.
Trough a friend of my mother-in-law we met Tony Lewis and fell in with some of that Harvard Crimson lot. That was before I had even heard of Magnum.

Burt liked the good life, to dress and eat well, like Bob Capa and Chim, and he was very good at it.

I am only sorry he was too modest about his pictures and did not push himself to have more exhibitions, apart from Castro and Cuba. His long color essays in Holiday were and are still truly magnificent (as well as the books) and I hope they will see the time of day. At that time there were not many photographers who could sustain interest in such long stories.

Fondly, Inge Bondi

Comment posted by inge bondi on April 9, 2008

Burt was a wonderful person and it was an honor to know him. His contribution to my documentary film about the cultural life of New York City in 1950s and 1960s was brought to life by his amazing photography and fine wit. He was a very generous and talented man.
My thoughts are with his family.

Comment posted by Dore Hammond on April 9, 2008

Dear Burt,

From the bottom of my heart I thank you for being the amazing man and photographer you are, and sharing with me your photography-spirit. You have been my mentor and I had the privilege to be your assistant and learn from you.
You gave me a chance when I came to New York and you thought me all about concerned photography and what it needs to succeed as a photojournalist.
That precious gift I carry with me until today, and forms the base for all my work.

Thank you dear Burt for being Burt and for all the support you gave me along the way. I will always carry you in my heart. Shalom, xx Shirley

Comment posted by Shirley Barenholz on April 9, 2008

I didn’t realize what a huge impact Burt Glinn had on me until many years after I ceased to be his studio manager. All of us who worked for Burt in the late 80’s, early 90’s have said the same thing to each other today; “I learned so much from him.” For me, it was not so much about photography as it was a way of living – a way of being human.

I will miss his razor sharp, lightning fast wit.

I had hoped for the longest time that Burt would turn out to be immortal.
Rest in peace, Burt-o. Thanks for the memories. And the great snaps.

Comment posted by Marla on April 9, 2008

I first met Burt when I was an advertising editor at Magnum in the late 60s. Later, I hired Burt when I was Director of Photography at the old Holiday Magazine. Burt always did a great job. He was one of the most professional shooters, often in a 3-piece suit. May he rest in peace. I know he worked very hard all his life.

Monica Suder

Comment posted by Monica Suder on April 9, 2008

I remember sitting in a London taxi with Burt Glinn and Philip Jones Griffiths during a Magnum AGM- the three of us were speaking about my father's journalistic exploits (they both knew and worked with my father when he was the Newsweek Bureau Chief in Moscow in the 1960s). I remember feeling very proud to be continuing the familial connection to these two great maverick photographers, and also their tremendous warmth and personality during that taxi ride.

It’s very sad - Burt was a one-of-a-kind personality, not to mention a wonderful photographer.

Comment posted by David Axelbank on April 10, 2008

Said to read this again, so soon after Griffiths. But his work shows that this kind of photographer never dies. Were ever you are, stay alway's with the camera ready Burt.

Comment posted by Pedro Carneiro on April 10, 2008

Somewhere, Burt, Philip and the rest of the deceased Magnum shooters have reconvened.
It was my good fortune to work with Burt's photos at Holiday magazine in the 1950s, at Travel & Leisure in the 70s and 80s, and at Jerry Della Femina's ad agency in the 90s. Magnum parties were jolly affairs. I attended one with Burt and Elena where Kubota and Hamaya were present.
Burt's barbed wit and high intelligence made him an entertaining, if sometimes infuriating luncheon companion. His stunning and insightful coverage of Japan for Travel & Leisure was one of the high water marks for that magazine. Several times I urged Burt to do a book, but he was diffident about it. Maybe now...

Comment posted by Adrian Taylor on April 11, 2008

I very much enjoy his photos.

Comment posted by peter on April 12, 2008

He was a great photographer... it is said. Some of the posters above were really blessed to have worked with him.

Comment posted by Fort Myers Photographer on April 16, 2008

In the mid 80's I was his assistent for a about a week in Rio de Janeiro. I will never forget how understanding and patient he was. One of the many things i learned in that short period of time : it is work but it can, and should, be fun! I great time wih him. Thanks, Burt.

Comment posted by Paulo Marcos on May 21, 2008

I worked for Burt in the early 1980's and spent a wonderful year and annual report season learning from Burt everyday.
I had worked the previous year for Arnold Newman and was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to get to spend a year with him.
To this day I often think about Burt and all the things he taught me!
His charm, wit and work ethic was apparant every day as we set out to the airport going to the west coast, or europe or Asia. And with Burt it was always first class!
rbert simko

Comment posted by Robert Simko on September 22, 2008

I was Burt's photo assistant one summer, between my freshman and sophomore years in college. We did one shoot in Iowa, where I learned his style of photography: expect anything. He actually brought virtually all types of equipment for simple shoots in Iowa farms. So preparation was everything. He told me about his experiences in Vietnam and was thoroughly thoughtful in managing my neophyte experience as a photo assistant. He will be missed.

Comment posted by Juan Ramon Zarco on December 25, 2008