Dylan by Schatzberg - Beau Livre

"The right guy at the right time in the right place." So Julia Morton described Jerry Schatzberg and his work, an illustrious career in fashion photography that transformed into one of revered celebrity portraiture and filmmaking, with the acclaimed Panic in Needle Park (1971) and Scarecrow (1973) among the 11 total films he directed. Morton's description manifests no place better than in Schatzberg's early portraits of Dylan.
In the 1960s, Schatzberg was at the center of New York City's vibrant cultural sphere, his subjects spanning the generation's great artists, thinkers, and personalities. At the urging of his friends, Schatzberg discovered Dylan's music somewhat late compared to his peers, but instantly understood his genius and charisma upon their first meeting during the recording of Highway 61 Revisited. It was during this pivotal moment in Dylan's career—a turning-point that produced some of the songwriter's most influential work—that Schatzberg fixed his lens on the musician, shaping much of Dylan's image.
From the iconic Blonde on Blonde cover to candid captures in the recording studio, Schatzberg's vision of Dylan is just as much a vision of an entire era : change in motion. Here, Schatzberg reflects on this "right" moment : the music, the downtown scene, and the cast of characters that were both its witnesses and creators.