Douglas Kirkland has recently died. His photographs are a celebration and tribute to beauty. They will continue to live on. His passing was widely reported as he was an industry legend. Below, a story from DP Review. Above is the banner pic from A Day in the Life of Hollywood. Douglas was the photographer. Henry Groskinsky, a formidable and kind photographer, was assigned the difficult task of photographing 75 others photogs.
I was a copy boy at the NY Daily News in the late seventies. There were many unfounded and rambunctious hopes that I would be a “New Yawk” photographer.
Bob Clive, the art director of the News’ Sunday Magazine, saw a glimmer in my student portfolio and gave me a few assignments that eventually led to my first cover in a real magazine. The Daily News employed over 50 photogs and I was not liked by them because I was a copy boy/apprentice who managed to cover the Sunday News Magazine. The confident ones congratulated and encouraged me to keep going. I was looked at sideways by those with weak skills and small spirits. It was a threat.
I went on vacation to the west coast. I went on vacation with no money and cheap airfare. I couchsurfed there while I was there. Clive gave me several numbers to call in order to show my work. Douglas Kirkland was one of them. I had been exposed to his work at school. I summoned the guts to call him up. My opening line was “Mr. Kirkland, I’m Joe McNally and work at The New York Daily News. I have always admired your work, and I would like to show you my portfolio.”
He said to me to come over.
His home was beautiful in Hollywood Hills and featured dye transfer prints of famous actresses. He sat down with me and said that my stuff was amazing. He was positive and optimistic about my efforts and predicted a bright future. I was thrilled.
Con Keyes was then the director for photography at the LA Times. I met Con Keyes later that day. He told me straight out that I wouldn’t make it.
I can recall driving along the Pacific Highway to a pullover, and then sitting on a rock looking out at the ocean. Both of these assessments were not true. The truth was somewhere in between. The Times review that I received was a devastating one about my ego and not about me, I knew. Later that day, I drove north towards San Francisco and called Paul Fusco, legendary Magnum photographer. He gave me a thoughtful overview and was critical of where it was needed. However, in the ashes of my early work, there were still some seeds of hope and a few hints of promise. He encouraged me to find the small positives in my life and to work on them.
Douglas saw a person and encouraged him at the peak of his rightful fame, when huge movie studios and magazines were chasing his door. There was no pretense, barriers or waxing of the ego. He said “Come on over.” I can still remember feeling like I was floating through the air outside his house. His assessment of my work reflected the attitude he held about this entire endeavor.
“I have a real philosophy. I don’t want to take negative photos of people and I make every effort to make them feel at ease in front the camera. This is what will control your photo, as you cannot be alone if the subject is not there. Kirkland explains how he managed to bring out the personalities of his subjects in a photograph ,”.
Mentorship is a powerful tool. Simply taking your time. The joy of looking at photos. It is a soul-healing experience to interact with someone who has an open heart, an open mind and lives joyously. This was fueled by an unrivalled confidence in his own abilities, enough confidence to pass it along and encourage, rather than destroy, from up high. That day was a lesson in life that he taught me. He will be greatly missed. His eye and enthusiasm for every assignment were irreplaceable. His gentlemanly manners are also impressive. We won’t see him like that again.