Louis Mendes (born June 15, 1940) is a photographer from New York City who is known for his signature dapper style, press camera, and street portraits.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Louis Mendes
Mendes in 2009.
Born (1940-06-15) June 15, 1940 (age 84)
Jamaica, Queens, New York
Known forStreet portraits

Life and work

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Mendes was born in a working-class family in Jamaica, Queens, New York, in 1940. He was a young child when his elder sister handed him a camera to begin documenting family events. He bought his first Graflex Speed Graphic camera in the nineteen-fifties, while working as a stock clerk in Macy's and studying electronics.[5]

Mendes uses a Speed Graphic; with modified backs that allow for use of various film types including instant Polaroid film.[3] He has photographed Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, Gordon Parks, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Swizz Beats, Alicia Keys and Colin Kaepernick.[5][7]

Publications

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Publications by Mendes

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  • The Magic Within. Raymond Ortiz, 2010.
  • Mestrado Fotografo. Raymond Ortiz, 2010.
  • One Of A Kind. Raymond Ortiz, 2010.
  • Monumental. Raymond Ortiz, 2010.

Publications with mentions of Mendes

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References

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  1. ^ Gonzalez, David (April 1, 1995). "Have Camera, Will Travel". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Gonzalez, David (January 3, 2010). "A Camera and Eye, Both One of a Kind". The New York Times.
  3. ^ a b Macdonald, Kerri (5 January 2010). "Must See: He Kept His Speed Graphic". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Polaroid Photographer". The New York Times. 4 January 2010. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
  5. ^ a b c McKeon, Lucy. "New York City's Most Classic Street Photographer". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
  6. ^ "Annual Gordon Parks Foundation Gala: Black Excellence Was at the Forefront". Vogue. May 22, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  7. ^ Williams, John (May 22, 2024). "Gordon Parks Gala Celebrates Legacy with Colin Kaepernick and Alicia Keys". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2024.