William Claxton (1927-2008) was an American photographer best known for his iconic images of jazz musicians as well as mid‑20th century Hollywood and fashion culture. After studying at UCLA in the early-’50’s, he turned to full-time photography and quickly gained respect for his work documenting such notable figures as Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker. His style helped visually define West Coast jazz through an influential 1955 portfolio and numerous record covers. In addition, he directed the 1967 short film, Basic Black; it’s often cited as one of the first fashion films and is now part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.
Claxton often described his work as “jazz for the eyes,” emphasizing spontaneity and an improvisatory approach analogous to musicians’ solos. His quote below supports that notion and is something that applies equally well to cinematographers.
“Jazz, in its most exciting form, is an art of musical improvisation. It is an immediate creation. Photography is likewise immediate. Jazz music emanates from the reality of the musician’s life experiences. In photography there is the undeniable reality of the thing from which the lens and the film take their image.”
John Coltrane, by William Claxton
I love everything about this. Getting immersed into an evening at the Village Vanguard has gotten me fired up about filmmaking many times. It’s the idea that you can create, listen, and create anew in the moment. A closely timed creative consciousness. My feeling is that, like theater, filmmaking draws its life from human moments and improvisation in many forms. Messing around in the world of in-camera FX, as I am inclined to do, really became more like making music with the advent of digital cinematography. Methods that were once linear and not malleable in the moment are now like a jazz riff. I am grateful for the many ways we get to express ourselves in this world. Life is lived when we collaborate and share some joy.
I wish everyone got it in the way you do, Chris!