Practical Photography

William Claxton died yesterday at the age of 80 years old. Claxton, originally from California, began photographing jazz greats and made his fame by capturing people like Chet Baker, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell it was his combined passion for Jazz and photography that immersed him into the history books.

His iconic images were well known for having movement and enthusiasm in them Claxton loved the music and this shined through in his images.

Claxton died yesterday from complications that started with a heart condition. At the age of 80 though he had a life to remember and he lived it to the full till yesterday as a well loved character who help establish the organisation that first introduced the Grammy awards. He wrote 13 in books in his 80 years and was most famous for his collaboration with his wife/model Peggy Moffitt Claxton to create iconic fashion images based on designer Rudi Geinrichs visions.

Claxtons first love was Jazz and he comented on his photographs as being “Jazz for the eyes” and it was his Jazz images that we will hold most fondly in rememberence. RIP to a great master of photography.