Bill Walsh as Documented by Photographer Michael Zagaris

Legendary San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh died yesterday, July 30, of leukemia. He was 75. I flipped to the NFL channel on DirecTV last night when I got home and was watching some of the coverage related to Walsh's death. There was an NFL films piece that focused on the longtime 49ers photographer, Michael Zagaris. In the documentary, which was filmed before Walsh's death, Zagaris reflected on photography; Walsh; the 49ers – including some of the most memorable personalities from the Walsh era like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott and Steve Young; rock and roll, and the philosophy he brought to covering the team.

In the documentary, Bill Walsh noted that the photo below was one of his favorite images, and he held a large framed print on his knee as he spoke about it. Zagaris said the same of the image, that it was one of his favorites:

49ers coach Bill Walsh and quarterback Joe Montana during the 1984 NFC Championship Game against the Chicago Bears at Candlestick Park.

Zagaris said he loved to look for unique angles, to get down low and really try to show things that viewers of NFL games typically didn't see, particularly back in the Walsh era. And, he said he loved shooting in black and white, and many of his photos from the 49ers dynasty era were made in that format.

Bill Walsh of the San Francisco 49ers talks to quarterback Joe Montana during a game against the Dallas Cowboys in 1983.

Zagaris is quite a character, having had aspirations earlier in life for getting a college football scholarship (which he did), playing in the NFL (he tried out), running for Congress and ultimately being president of the United States. He worked on political campaigns and was at one of the events in the late 1960's that tragically altered his life – and America – forever: the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles in 1968. He left politics after that and started interviewing and photographing rock and roll bands. He was attracted by the British invasion in rock in the '60s and spent time shooting such rock icons like Eric Clapton, Roger Daltry and the Who, Led Zepplin and Mick Jagger, among many others.

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones

However he returned to his background in football and started photographing the 49ers, becoming their team photographer in 1973. He's documented the team over four decades now, including the three years that Walsh coached the team to Super Bowl wins in 1982, 1985 and 1989.

Head coach Bill Walsh of the San Francisco 49ers poses with 3 Superbowl Trophies in 1989.

Zagaris, who also became the Oakland A's photographer in the early '80s, continues to build on his astonishing resume. To read more about him and see more of his photography, check out these links: apple.com/pro/profiles, michaelzagarisvault.com, SportsShooter and PhotoShelter.com.

- Gary

Tags: Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers, Michael Zagaris

A kiss is just a kiss -- or is it?

 

Its been a 62-year "whodunit" full of mystery and intrigue.

 

Who really are the kissers in the iconic image, "The Kiss" taken by Life photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt in Times Square Aug. 14, 1945, on the day of Victory over Japan? Over the years, many people have come forward claiming to be either the nurse or the sailor. By most reports, they were strangers who go caught up in a celebratory moment of VJ-day. Eisenstaedt was there to capture that moment and immortalize it.

 

More than 10 men have claimed to be the sailor and one has now turned to science -- forensics and polygraph tests -- to prove he is the man in the famous photo.

 

Before his death, Alfred Eisenstaedt talked about the image and the scene that day, but didn't know either subject's identity. A number of women also have claimed to be the nurse pictured in the photo. NPR interviewed one woman during the unveiling of a life-sized statue in Times Square, based on a famous Life magazine photo:

 

 

For your own moment in history, you can plan to take part in the Times Square Kiss-In that's scheduled for Aug. 14th, 2007, to commemorate the photo. 

 

Regardless of who smooched whom that fateful day in Times Square, THIS kiss and THIS image came to embody the mood and celebration that WWII had ended. It remains the single-most reproduced image in Life magazine's collection.

 

Maybe a kiss is more than just a kiss after all.

 

So, What do you think? Has the sailor finally been found? Will we ever know the identity of both kissers? Is it important to know?  

 

~ Dave  

Tags: LIFE, Alfred Eisenstaedt, kiss, VJ Day, WWII

Pictures of the Week: July 21-27

 

He falls, she shoots. The photograph of Darvis "Doc" Patton, a runner from the U.S., tumbling head-over-heels after winning the silver medal in the men’s 100 meters at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro is a great example of why you may want to linger a little while longer beyond what you think might be the "moment," just in case something else presents itself.

 

In this case, the "moment" that made this a great photo was not planned nor expected. I would imagine that the photographer's original intent was to capture a good image of these three leaders at the finish line, but by following the action a little bit longer, she was able to capture a great image.

 

So as you take your own pictures this week, let the lens linger just a little bit longer than you planned and see what you capture. Let me know how it turns out and take a look at all the other great images in this week's Pictures of the Week gallery.

 

- Lee Van Grack

Tags: Pictures of the Week

Fotofestivus VI

This is our sixth installment of our Fotofestivus here in the Photo Talk blog. It's an idea we came up with as a staff a while ago. It's pretty simple: we identify a theme and shoot a photo for it. Some themes will be straightforward, some wacky.

 

We'd like to invite you to join in, too. This month's theme is an easy one: S~N. Confused? Don't be. We're allowing you to interpret this as either "sun" or "son." This is the perfect time to go out and shoot a picture around either of those subjects if you don't already have one you'd like to submit.

 

You can interpret it literally, or have some fun with the idea. Please send us links to your photos wherever they are -- AOL Pictures, Flickr, Snapfish, anywhere -- in the comments area when you respond.

 

Here are a few more photos shot by some of the AOL photo editors for additional inspiration:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have fun and think creatively! We look forward to seeing how this month's theme inspired you. For more inspiration, take a look at some of our other Fotofestivus entries:

 

Fotofestivus V

Fotofestivus IV

Fotofestivus III

Fotofestivus II

Fotofestivus

 

- Gary

 

Pictures of the Week: July 14-20

The photograph of the bloodied and mud-covered woman being led away from the scene of transformer explosion in downtown Manhattan near Grand Central station is eerily reminiscent of the images from 9/11. As it turns out, this explosion was caused by a ruptured steam pipe, not terrorism. The uneasy feeling I had when I first saw this image was, however, a remnant of an act of terrorism almost 6 years ago.

See all of this week's compelling photography from around the world in our Pictures of the Week photo gallery.

- Lee Van Grack

Tags: Pictures of the Week

'Evidence of My Existence'

You've probably seen his photographs before and, finally, here's the story:

Haunting, vivid, and captured from over 60 countries is his travels, photographer Jim Lo Scalzo's images have documented the top stories of our times. As a staff photographer for  U.S. News & World Report since 1994, Lo Scalzo's work has won many awards, including honors from Pictures of the Year International and the White House News Photographers Association. However, his latest work is his memoir, titled 'Evidence of My Existence', which focuses on his struggle to balance the lure of photography and shooting assignments in some of the most dangerous areas of the world, and the pull to stay home, where he was needed as husband and father.

 

 

 

I personally became aware of the project when a fellow photographer sent me some video links to two YouTube clips:

 

'Evidence of My Existence' (Part I)

 

'Evidence of My Existence' (Part II)

 

The clips are synopses of Lo Scalzo's book. They serve to introduce what should prove to be a great book that documents the struggles of capturing the world and the personal sacrifices involved along the way.

 

For more info about Lo Scalzo and the book and to read a Q&A with him, take a look at the Ohio University Press Web site. And if you're interested in ordering the book, you can get it at Amazon.com: 'Evidence of My Existence.'

 

~ Sam

Pictures of the Week: July 7-13

Kent Couch found inspiration in a helium filled balloon. So, he attached 105 large helium balloons to his lawn chair and flew 193 miles across the Oregon sky. He was prepared with instruments to measure his speed and altitude and plastic bags filled with water to act as ballast. His landing method? Pop the balloons, of course. He even had a backup plan in the form of a parachute.

Couch told the Bend Bulletin that this was a lifelong dream, that "When you're a little kid and you're holding a helium balloon, it has to cross your mind."

 

Inspiration can come from anywhere, anytime. The key is to recognize it and follow up on it.

 

Take a look at this and other great photos ... and perhaps find some inspiration in this week's collection of photos in Pictures of the Week.

 

-Lee Van Grack

Tags: Pictures of the Week

Alaska at a Crossroads

Southwest Alaska is at a crossroads. With a growing world population comes a tremendous demand for alternative resources, and these wild lands and spectacular parks are now confronting massive development proposals that would alter them forever. Renowned outdoor photographer Robert Glenn Ketchum has trained his lens on the beauty of southwest Alaska to document the region and show the world this virtually unknown, complex and biologically diverse landscape.

The Allen River enters Lake Chauekuktuli

The Red Hills

We have a select group of a dozen images from this exhibition to give you a glimpse of Ketchum's work. Take a look at the photo gallery, Southwest Alaska at a Crossroads, and let us know your thoughts. 

The Aperture traveling exhibition -- 'Southwest Alaska: A World of Parks and Wildlife Refuges at the Crossroads - Photographs by Robert Glenn Ketchum' -- will be on display at the BP Petroleum Gallery, which is located at BP Naperville Campus, Bldg 601, 150 Warrenville Rd, Naperville, Illinois, from July 10 to Sept. 4, 2007.

Pictures of the Week: June 30 - July 6

The photograph of the children in Baghdad as they stage a mock execution of a frightened 4-year-old boy is a disturbing image. As children's games are increasingly influenced by the violence that has become part of their daily lives, one must wonder if they will grow to resent the circumstances that surround them or if they will merely become immune to it. What do you think? Child's play or tragedy?

 

 

See all of this week's compelling photography from around the world in our Pictures of the Week photo gallery.

 

-Lee Van Grack

Tags: Pictures of the Week

100 Years of Kisses

Do you remember your first Kiss? When I learned that the Hershey Kiss, an American classic, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, I had many questions: Where did they get their name? Why are they shaped like that? How are they made? I wanted answers and thought you would like to know as well. The nearby theme park in Hershey, Pa. -- Hersheypark -- also turns 100 this year, so I photographed and produced this multimedia gallery about Hershey's Kiss's influence in the Pennsylvania town: Hershey Kiss: 1907-2007.

 

 

Check it out; it has all the answers to those kinds of questions and more.

 

Hershey's Kisses, first introduced in 1907, are created in a method that has changed very little in 100 years. I learned some interesting facts, such as the paper strip that comes out of the top of each Kiss is called a 'plume.' And that Hershey, Pa., is not the town's official name, it's actually Derry Township. Even the spa at the Hotel Hershey is chocolate-themed, with treatments like the whipped cocoa bath and a chocolate bean polish and a chocolate fondue wrap.

 

Milton Hershey, founder of the company and the town, had an interesting philosophy: "One is only happy in proportion as he makes others feel happy."  I believe he made lots of people happy with his little 'kisses' of chocolate during the past 100 years. Tell us about your chocolate memories, chocolate favorites, and if you've ever visited Hershey.

- David Rogowski

Celebrity Weddings

The months of June, July and August are the busiest of the entire year for those planning to get married. August actually edges out June as the biggest month even though everyone associates weddings with June brides. We have put together a photo gallery titled, Celebrities Shine on Wedding Day, featuring some of the most notable weddings over the last couple of decades. They run the range in style and formality, from the formal wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles to the much more casual wedding of Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson. Some marriages are successful and some are not, but one thing is for sure: every bride and groom shines on their wedding day. 

Who is in your top 10 list of brides and grooms? Please let us know what you think. 

- Alan

Tags: Celebrity Weddings, Princess Diana, Pamela Anderson