Steve Schapiro (American, b.1934) is a photographer and photojournalist who captured some of the most important historical events of the 1960s and 1970s, and is also known for his movie stills. Born in New York, Schapiro studied under
William Eugene Smith, who deeply influenced the artist’s work, along with seminal street photographer
Henri Cartier-Bresson.
In 1961, he began working as a freelance photojournalist, with his images appearing in publications such as
LIFE,
Vanity Fair,
Newsweek, and
Time. Among his seminal images are those from Martin Luther King’s march on Selma in 1963, on the road during Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign, and at The Factory with
Andy Warhol. Known for his compassionate and activist approach to his subjects, his works played an important role in bringing issues such as the Civil Rights Movement, immigration, and narcotic addition to national attention.
Beginning in the 1970s, Schapiro began collaborating with film companies, and worked on hundreds of movies, including
Midnight Cowboy,
Parenthood,
The Godfather, and
Taxi Driver.
His works are contained in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the National Portrait Gallery in London, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and the Musée des Beaux-art de Montreal, among others. His books include
Schapiro’s Heroes, which takes an intimate look at major iconic figures such as Muhammad Ali, Ray Charles, and Samuel Beckett, and
American Edge, which was voted one of the best photography books of 2000.
