Louis Mendes
Encyclopedia
Louis Mendes is a photographer from New York City
who is known for his signature press camera
, portraits and street photography
.
Louis 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. Later Mendes would study at the RCA
Institute of Technology. After stints of working in retail including Macy's
on 34th street, Mendes turned to photography
.
Since the 1970s Mendes has traveled around the United States
photographing people in public places. He has photographed celebrities including Spike Lee
, Denzel Washington
, Cab Calloway
, Tito Puente
and Gordon Parks
.
Mendes is never seen without his signature Graflex
Speed Graphic
; he has also used a Polaroid
Spectra, modified Polaroid 110b, View Camera and medium and large format
cameras.
Louis Mendes has been written about by David Gonzalez in the New York Times. Mendes was featured in "One Hundred Jobs" by Ron Howell photographed by Ozier Muhammad
published in 2000
. Mendes was also cited for his flash techniques in "Photographic Lighting Simplified" by Susan McCartney published 2003
. Mendes appears in Harvey Stein's 1998 book "Coney Island."
Louis Mendes resides in Harlem
, New York and has two daughters.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
who is known for his signature press camera
Press camera
A press camera is a medium or large format camera suitable for use by press photographers.Press cameras were widely used from the 1900s through the early 1960s and commonly had the following features:* collapsibility into strong, compact boxes...
, portraits and street photography
Street photography
Street photography is a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions and other settings....
.
Louis Mendes was born in a working-class family in Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1940. He was a young child when his elder sister handed him a camera to begin documenting family events. Later Mendes would study at the RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
Institute of Technology. After stints of working in retail including Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
on 34th street, Mendes turned to photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
.
Since the 1970s Mendes has traveled around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
photographing people in public places. He has photographed celebrities including Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
, Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
, Cab Calloway
Cab Calloway
Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City where he was a regular performer....
, Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
and Gordon Parks
Gordon Parks
Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director...
.
Mendes is never seen without his signature Graflex
Graflex
Graflex was a manufacturer, a brand name and several models of cameras. William F. Folmer, an inventor, built the first Graflex camera in 1898, when his company was called The Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company, founded originally in New York as a gas lamp company...
Speed Graphic
Speed Graphic
Produced by Graflex in Rochester, New York, the Speed Graphic is commonly called the most famous press camera. Although the first Speed Graphic cameras were produced in 1912, production of later versions continued until 1973; with the most significant improvements occurring in 1947 with the...
; he has also used a Polaroid
Polaroid Corporation
Polaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company, originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras, which reached the market in 1948, and continued to be the company's flagship product line until the February...
Spectra, modified Polaroid 110b, View Camera and medium and large format
Large format
Large format refers to any imaging format of 4×5 inches or larger. Large format is larger than "medium format", the 6×6 cm or 6×9 cm size of Hasselblad, Rollei, Kowa, Pentax etc cameras , and much larger than the 24×36 mm frame of 35 mm format.The main advantage...
cameras.
Louis Mendes has been written about by David Gonzalez in the New York Times. Mendes was featured in "One Hundred Jobs" by Ron Howell photographed by Ozier Muhammad
Ozier Muhammad
Ozier Muhammad is a photojournalist who has been on the staff of The New York Times since 1992. He has also worked for Ebony Magazine, The Charlotte Observer, and Newsday. He earned a B.A...
published in 2000
. Mendes was also cited for his flash techniques in "Photographic Lighting Simplified" by Susan McCartney published 2003
. Mendes appears in Harvey Stein's 1998 book "Coney Island."
Louis Mendes resides in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, New York and has two daughters.
Books
- The Magic Within. Self published by Raymond Ortiz / chiefbooks using Blurb. May 2010
- Mestrado Fotografo. Self published by Raymond Ortiz / chiefbooks using Blurb. May 2010
- One Of A Kind. Self published by Raymond Ortiz / chiefbooks using Blurb. May 2010
- Monumental. Self published by Raymond Ortiz / chiefbooks using Blurb. May 2010
External links
- Louis Mendes web site
- http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/01/03/nyregion/20100103polaroid_index.html
- http://www.indianexpress.com/news/making-money-as-a-photographer-the-oldfashi/562891/