Jeff Katz (photographer)

Jeff Katz was born in Fairfield, Connecticut.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jun/24/prince-parade-cherry-moon-jeff-katz-best-photograph |title=Prince On The Cover Of Parade: Jeff Katz's Best Photograph |author=Edward Siddons |date=24 June 2020 |access-date=7 December 2023 |website=theguardian.com}} He graduated Cum Laude from Ithaca College, New York state in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cinema and Photography,{{cite magazine |url=https://wwwcdn.ithaca.edu/file-download/download/public/39448 |title=IC View - The Magazine of Ithaca College {{!}} Fall '21 {{!}} Alumni Notes {{!}} 1982 |page=40 |access-date=27 December 2023 |website=ithaca.edu}} and moved to Los Angeles, CA.

During the first years of his photography career, Katz worked in the music recording industry, shooting for record labels and publications such as Warner Bros Records, Arista Records, and Universal Music Group, and Rolling Stone Magazine.{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/1986-rolling-stone-covers-19271/rs472-prince-wendy-lisa-3-142773/ |title=Wendy and Lisa {{!}} Prince's Women |date=24 April 1986 |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=rollingstone.com}}

His music photography includes album covers, tour books, single releases and promotional advertising for a range of music genres. In the 1990s Katz photographed covers, and featured articles, for publications such as People, Life, Parade, Entertainment Weekly, and TV Guide. This work expanded his career with motion pictures and television studios including Sony Pictures, A&E Network, Columbia Pictures, ABC and Disney Studios. His photography for Sports Illustrated brought him the opportunity to photograph athletes such as Oscar De La Hoya and others.{{cn|date=November 2024|reason=Need source for magazines and TV studios}}

He has photographed contemporary figures, artists, performers and athletes including LL Cool J,{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/la-ar-shopping-column-nov-11-20151104-story.html |title=Meet LL Cool J and his jewelry designer wife Simone Smith at Macy's |author=Sus |date=11 November 2015 |access-date=18 December 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times}}{{cite web |url=https://wwd.com/menswear-news/mens-clothing-furnishings/ll-cool-j-simone-smith-mens-jewelry-majesty-1235650465/ |title=Simone Smith to Launch Higher-priced Men's Jewelry Line Under Majesty Name |author=Jean E. Palmieri |date=15 May 2023 |access-date=18 December 2023 |website=wwd.com}} Earth, Wind & Fire,{{cite web |url=https://www.metrosiliconvalley.com/papers/metro/08.28.97/funk-9735.html |title=The Return of Funk |author=Nicky Baxter |date=27 August 1997 |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=metrosiliconvalley.com}} George Clooney,{{cite web |url=https://parade.com/tv/best-tv-doctors/ |title=“Best TV Doctors” |website=parade.com}} Denzel Washington,{{cite web |url=https://www.thevintagenews.com/2021/09/16/denzel-washington-facts/ |title=10 Denzel Washington Facts That Show He's Truly The Man On Fire |author=Clare Fitzgerald |date=16 September 2021 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=thevintagenews.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/11/denzel-washington-my-family-values |title=Interview {{!}} Denzel Washington |author=Elaine Lipworth |date=10 December 2010 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=theguardian.com}} Colin Kaepernick,{{cite web |url=https://swimsuit.si.com/swimnews/samantha-hoopes-colin-kaepernick-vernon-davis-levis-commercial-bts |title=Playing it cool by the Bay: Behind the scenes on the Levi's shoot with Samantha Hoopes, Colin Kaepernick and Vernon Davis |author=SI staff |date=6 February 2015 |access-date=24 December 2023 |website=si.com}} Bon Jovi,{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2160106-Bon-Jovi-Lay-Your-Hands-On-Me |title=“Bon Jovi Lay Your Hands On Me” |website=discogs.com}} Rob Lowe,{{cite web |url=https://parade.com/688893/nicolepajer/rob-lowe-brims-with-boundless-enthusiasm-for-big-waves-his-27-year-marriage-and-exciting-new-tv-projects// |title=“Rob Lowe Brims With Boundless Enthusiasm” |website=parade.com}} Olivia Munn,{{cite web |url=https://people.com/style/olivia-munn-ive-tried-so-many-crazy-things-to-cure-my-acne/ |title=Olivia Munn: I've Tried So Many Crazy Things to Cure My Acne |author=Alex Apatoff |date=20 March 2014 |access-date=15 December 2023 |website=people.com}} Ozzy Osbourne,{{cite web |url=https://www.piercingmetal.com/ozzy-osbourne-to-celebrate-no-more-tears-30th-anniversary-with-special-editions/ |title=Ozzy Osbourne to celebrate "No More Tears" 30th anniversary with special editions |author=Ken Pierce |date=29 July 2021 |access-date=24 December 2023 |website=piercingmetal.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/ozzy-osbourne-to-release-an-expanded-digital-deluxe-edition-of-no-more-tears-in-celebration-of-its-30th-anniversary |title=Ozzy Osbourne to release an expanded digital deluxe edition of No More Tears in celebration of its 30th anniversary |author=Liz Scarlett |date=20 September 2022 |access-date=24 December 2023 |website=loudersound.com}} Mel Gibson,{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/mel-gibson-frank-grillo-joe-carnahans-leo-from-toledo-madriver-1202777663/ |title=Mel Gibson & Frank Grillo Board Joe Carnahan's Thriller 'Leo From Toledo'; MadRiver On Sales – AFM |author=Tom Grater |date=4 November 2019 |access-date=15 December 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} John Densmore,{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jan/08/doors-drummer-john-densmore-it-took-me-years-to-forgive-jim-morrison |title=Doors drummer John Densmore: 'It took me years to forgive Jim Morrison' |author=Jenny Stevens |date=8 January 2020 |access-date=15 December 2023 |website=theguardian.com}} Vanilla Ice,{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/23/arts/photography-view-the-star-making-machinery-caught-by-the-camera-s-eye.html |title=PHOTOGRAPHY VIEW; The Star-Making Machinery, Caught by the Camera's Eye |author=Charles Hagen |date=23 June 1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130023101/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/23/arts/photography-view-the-star-making-machinery-caught-by-the-camera-s-eye.html |archive-date=30 January 2011 |website=The New York Times}} Elton John,{{cite web |url=https://www.kisstimmins.com/2022/09/26/elton-john-awarded-humanitarian-medal/ |title=“Elton John Awarded Humanitarian Medal” from President Biden |website=kisstimmins.com}} and President Joe Biden.{{cite web |url=https://www.kisstimmins.com/2022/09/26/elton-john-awarded-humanitarian-medal/ |title=From President Joe Biden “Elton John Awarded Humanitarian Medal” |website=kisstimmins.com}}

While in his early 20s, Katz became the personal photographer and official tour photographer for musician Prince for over a decade, and shot the covers of multiple Prince albums.

In 1984, Warnes Bros. offered him the position of assistant photographer on the set of Prince's The Family album. Subsequently, he became the behind the scenes and personal photographer for Prince's directorial debut Under The Cherry Moon filmed in Nice, France.{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/photo-gallery/prince-sign-o-the-times-album-cover-photo/ |title=What It Was Like to Be Prince's Personal Photographer |author=Quinn Moreland |date=23 September 2020 |access-date=2 December 2023 |website=pitchfork.com}}{{cite web |url=https://people.com/music/prince-rare-photos-jeff-katz-exclusive/ |title=Prince Like You've Never Seen Him Before: The Star's Longtime Photographer Shares Rare Photos and Private Memories |author=Brianne Tracy |date=15 July 2019 |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=people.com}} He then became Prince's official tour photographer, and collaborated for 12 years from January 1985 to the end 1996, creating over fifty photo sessions with him and his roster of artists including Sheila E. (1988). {{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/a-fresh-look-at-prince-never-before-seen-photos-a-legend-gone-soon-1203952 |title=A Fresh Look at Prince |author=Mikey O'Connell |date=25 April 2019 |access-date=7 December 2023 |website=hollywoodreporter.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.parismatch.com/Culture/Musique/Jeff-Katz-portraitiste-du-Prince-1708659/ |title=Jeff Katz, portrait painter of the Prince |author=Aurélie Raya |date=26 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2023 |website=parismatch.com |lang=fr}}

Katz shot the covers of the Parade (1986) and Sign o' the Times (1987) albums. Katz was the main photographer for Prince's tour books and promotional imagery for Lovesexy (1988), Batman (1989), Graffiti Bridge (1990), Diamonds and Pearls (1991) and more.

He also photographed Prince's wedding to Mayte García in 1996.

In 2019, Katz was a guest speaker at the Prince Celebration at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota, where he talked about his shoots with Prince.{{cite web |url=https://blackamericaweb.com/2019/04/29/prince-celebration-2019-recap-the-legacy-lives-on-but-what-about-the-future/2/ |title=Prince Celebration 2019 Recap: The Legacy Lives On But What About The Future? |author=Tonya Pendleton |date=29 April 2019 |access-date=13 December 2023 |website=blackamericaweb.com}} His photographs of Prince are displayed on the walls of Paisley Park, including a room dedicated to the Under The Cherry Moon film. In an agreement with Prince's estate, Katz has an online art gallery showcasing his images of Prince. In 2020, a 120-page hardcover book with previously unseen photographs by Katz were published as part of Paisley Park's rerelease of Prince's Sign o' the Times recording.{{cite web |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/prince-exclusive-sign-o-the-times/ |title=Untold Story Behind Prince's Sign O' the Times Album |author=Janelle Okwodu |date=10 September 2020 |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=vogue.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/prince-sign-o-the-times-reissue-1020394/ |title=Prince Estate Announces Massive Vault-Raiding Reissue for 'Sign O' the Times' |author=Daniel Kreps |date=25 June 2020 |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=rollingstone.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ccn.com/sign-o-the-times-boxset-prince-vault-bigger-than-imagined/ |title=Sign O' The Times Boxset Proves Prince's Vault Is Bigger Than Imagined |author=Hannah Wigandt |date=25 September 2020 |access-date=30 December 2023 |website=ccn.com}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://jeffkatzphotography.com Official website - Jeff Katz photography]
• [https://www.princebyjeffkatz.com Prince photography by Jeff Katz]
• {{Discogs artist|Jeff Katz (2)}}

Category:American photographers

{{DEFAULTSORT:Katz, Jeff}}

Category:1960 births

Category:Living people