Burk Uzzle, Photographer

The youngest photographer ever hired by LIFE magazine at age 23, Burk Uzzle was an active contributor for 16 years to the prestigious international Magnum cooperative (founded by one his mentors, Henri Cartier-Bresson) during which his work grew into a combination of split-second impressions reflecting the human condition. During his Magnum tenure, he produced some of the most recognizable images we have of Woodstock (album cover and worldwide reproduction of its iconic couple hugging at dawn), the assassination and funeral of Martin Luther King Jr., and the experience of Cambodian war refugees. Burk’s archive spans almost six decades. His current body of work is the production of artful and constructed reflections of his subjects, many of whom are African-American residents proximal to his studio in Wilson, NC. Their layers of experience are conjoined with Burks fundamental appreciation for unseen characteristics, which he ably captures in a collaborative, interpretive context. www.burkuzzle.com

Photo Credit: Lissa Gotwals