Monte Zucker

With sadness we just learned that Monte Zucker passed away on March 15th. He was like my Godfather. I was fortunate enough to work with him when I worked for his protege, Clay Blackmore, from 1995 - 1999.

Monte was a leader in portrait and wedding photography, with an amazing eye for lighting and posing. I recall reading photo magazines that my father subscribed to when I was in high school and college, and I would read Monte's articles. He was definitely a celebrity in the photography world...known worldwide! I would never imagine working with him and learning so much while I worked with Clay.

Here are some images I pulled from my scrapbook of my photography life in Maryland during the 90's. The first is Monte and Clay teaching in Baltimore. I loved assisting at their seminars together.

In April of 1996 I went on a job with Monte and Clay at the French Embassy in DC. Monte is at the computer working on an image they just photographed and were printing onsite. They were one of the first studios to work with digital photography. Monte amazed me at his love of learning and teaching photography. He wrote articles and taught photography right up to the end. He had moved to Florida from Maryland in 1996 to retire...not a chance! I remember being in awe working with him on this job.

This photo was taken at Ed Pierce's Wedding 2000 Seminar in April 1996. Monte and Clay were featured, along with Denis Reggie, Wendy Saunders, Calvin Hayes, David Ziser & Gary Fong. I modeled for Monte...that is me in the bridal gown on the TV with him posing my hands...I can't tell you how much I learned while being around Monte and Clay. That is one thing young photographers do not understand...the art of posing and lighting...and photographing each image to make it count. Monte could shoot 12 different perfect images on a roll of 12 on a Hasselblad camera.

On the back of this polaroid I wrote "Ali's first portrait taken by Monte Zucker 9/95" I framed and cherished it. Monte and Clay shot with Hasselblad cameras, Kodak film, and Polaroid film to test their lighting. They used their famous 5 light set up in this image. As I pulled it out of the album, I could still smell the chemicals...wow...what a difference from today's photography tools!

Here is a photo that makes me smile. Monte and I photographed a wedding for the Bainum family in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1997. He photographed the portraits and I photographed candids. Monte was so good at making his shots count, that he took the image of the couple kissing and turning to walk down the aisle, and after his 2 shots, he just turned around to walk back ahead of them. I took this photo of him to remember his precision and confidence in his work...photographers now a days would be photographing all the way up the aisle...ok, me included...but Monte - nope...always in control and not wasting an image.

Bleu and I have the fondest memory of Monte at the PPA conference in 1999. Monte, Clay and I were at a table during a cocktail reception. I had already announced I was moving to California to be with my "new love" Bleu Cotton. Monte looked Bleu in the eye and asked "What are your intentions with Alison? How long will you have her? Bleu said "As long as she'll take me." Monte said "WRONG!..the correct answer is Forever!"

Monte Zucker was a brilliant photographer and such a gem for me to know. I will cherish the time I was able to have with him. I was such a lucky girl ending up working with Clay and Monte...Rest in Peace, Monte...your work in the photography world will live on forever!