Event held on Jan. 30, 2013

THE POWER & PASSION TO CREATE:

orman Seeff, acclaimed Photographer and Filmmaker, likes to call himself “an Experimentalist – creating an experience that I then document on a roll of film”. He graduated with honors in science and art in South Africa. Following in his father’s footsteps, he qualified as a medical doctor and for three years worked in emergency medicine in Soweto focusing on the management of traumatic shock. In 1968, he moved to New York and not being able to practice medicine, began photographing the people he encountered on the streets of Manhattan. In 1969, his striking images of Andy Warhol, Patti Smith and others were discovered by the famed graphic designer, Bob Cato, who gave him his first major photographic assignment. Seeff’s iconic image of The Band was re-produced as a poster inserted under the shrink-wrap of their album, “Stage Fright”. When unfolded, it became a popular collectors’ item and launched his career as a “rock” photographer.

Seeff relocated to Los Angeles in 1972 to become creative director of United Artists Records where his album cover designs won numerous Grammy nominations. Three years later, he opened an independent studio in the heart of music row on Sunset Boulevard. As a leading photographer of public personalities during the 1970’s and 80’s, Seeff became renowned for his ability to capture the very essence of his subjects. His images, many of which are iconic, have appeared on album and magazine covers, high profile billboards including the Apple “Think Different” campaign as well as covers of authorized biographies of many artists including John Belushi, James Taylor, Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin. Steve Jobs personally choose Seeff’s 1984 “Mac on Lap” image for the back cover of Walter Isaacson’s biography. The same image was featured on the cover of TIME magazine after Jobs’ passing and at Apple’s Memorial Service.

Seeff’s creative interaction with artists inspired him to film his sessions, beginning in 1975 with an Ike & Tina Turner session. During the 80’s, his work expanded to include film directors, actors, authors, entrepreneurs, and scientists. Using the photo session as a vehicle for exploring the inner dynamics of the creative process with artists at work, Seeff observed an archetypal seven-stage dynamic which he is able to illustrate with the hundreds of hours of revealing exchanges he has captured on film and video. In 2003, Seeff received a golden opportunity to work with the NASA scientists and engineers at JPL responsible for landing the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars in 2004. His feature documentary, “Triumph of the Dream”, will be released in 2013.

AND