Remembering Peter Strongwater…

Photo by Peter Strongwater

With sadness I’ve just learned about the passing of Peter Strongwater.

Peter was an acclaimed portrait and fashion photographer, including a highly regarded stint as a cover photographer for Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine in the seventies and eighties. Among his iconic subjects were Sir Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Diana Ross.

About a year ago, remembering a beautiful portrait Peter took of Cher in 1982 I managed to track him down and he invited me to his studio. The same studio he worked out of all those years with Warhol and Interview Magazine. Pulling his proof sheets for me to look over he shared amazing stories of Warhol, Way Bandy, Diana Vreeland and many of his iconic subjects. He talked about photography back in that moment of time. This session with Cher had been styled by Andre Leon Talley and makeup by Way Bandy. It was one of those thrilling, only could happen in NYC moments. He was a sweet, unassuming man who seemed happy to share that history with me.

A week later, picking up my print of Cher, he held her proudly and gave me a wink while declaring “You won’t be seeing this anywhere else.”

Peter Strongwater was talented, lovely and generous with his time and stories. I’m proud to own his work. He will not be forgotten.