Martin Elkort (American, b. April 18, 1929 – d. November 19, 2016) was born in New York and grew up amidst the Great Depression. He took his first professional photograph at the age of 10 while on a car trip with his family in Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun purchased his photographs of submerged cars during a flood and at that point, he was hooked on photography.
At the age of 15 Martin came down with polio and spent 4 months in the hospital. When he returned home, his parents bought him his first Ciroflex, a twin-lens reflex camera, that cost them about a week’s salary at the time. After his recovery, he set out around Manhattan taking pictures of whatever interested him.
The majority of photographs in the collection were shot circa 1945-1956. Many during this era were taken during Martin's membership in the New York Photo League. His more recent works, shot in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Texas and Mexico, continue the style of street photography that has made Martin Elkort’s photographs unique and endearing to many generations.
Children: Behind the Lens by Martin Elkort is now available for purchase. This 9 x 9 inch offset print photography book will make a wonderful addition to any photographer’s book collection as well as anyone who enjoys experiencing the world through a child’s joyful eye.
DOCUMENTARY
In the 1940’s and 1950’s, Martin Elkort roamed the urban landscape of New York City with his camera in search of the perfect picture. His indelible images of simpler times remind us that the human experience can be a joyous one. Poignant and insightful, his photographs reflect the Great American Melting Pot in all its unpolished glory.
PHOTO NARRATIVES
Enjoy these YouTube productions with slideshows of the photographs and voiceover narratives as seen through the eyes of Martin Elkort.
You can review the archive of photos by selecting from the following categories
The iconic city of New York bundled up in a blanket of snow, a reminder of a simpler time. This vintage photograph shot by Martin in 1948, takes us on a journey through the bustling streets, now quiet and still.
(Remarks given during the opening of Martin Elkort’s one-man show at the Barry Singer Gallery, Petaluma California in February of 2006) I’d like to take a few minutes to talk
When Martin attended Cooper Union art school in the early 1950s, he was often a featured illustrator for their magazine, Folio. Here is a beautiful piece in honor of Memorial
I watch a flag whip in the wind on a metal pole. My pleasure is sensuous – the sun is shining and the morning air is clear and crisp in
March 01, 2011 — “Only in America!” Three little words that were repeated by thousands of “greenhorns” (immigrants) at the beginning of the last century who were awed by the
Shoe Shine – © Martin Elkort – 1948 On the occasion of the American Bi-Centennial in 1897, Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and John T Morgan penned this reflection on
