Jean-Pierre Laffon, The French Photographer That Captured Seminal Periods in American History

Mar 30, 2017
3 min read

Updated: Feb 23

*In 1980, the U.S. allowed women to actively serve in the military. Here, women take part in basic training against atomic radiation in Fort Dix, New Jersey.*

Jean-Pierre Laffont's vast photo collection appears almost legendary: How could a single photographer capture so many pivotal events with such a distinctive perspective?

Laffont came to New York from France in 1965, a significant period for American photojournalists amid the Watts riots and the Selma to Montgomery marches. Despite lacking the funds to travel across the country to document these events, he chose to delve deeper into local narratives, focusing particularly on the Bronx and Brooklyn. Reflecting on his initial impression of New York, Laffont remarked, "It was so beautiful from the air, but when you were down on the ground the garbage wasn’t collected, the city was in shambles, they were throwing the garbage out of the windows." During this period, Laffont married Eliane Lucotte. In 1969, they established the U.S. office of the French Gamma agency, and in 1973, they founded Sygma Photo News. Over the following thirty years, Laffont dedicated himself to traveling and photographing various locations worldwide.

Left: Two homeless men squat in the shadow of the recently completed World Trade Centre in October 1975. New York City was on the verge of bankruptcy and the World Trade Centre sat largely vacant. Right: Tombs Prison was built in 1840 with granite from an old prison in City Hall.

*Two men “flip the bird” to the crowd in Central Park as they compete in the kissing contest during New York’s first Gay Pride celebration on June 28, 1970.*

*Members of the Ku Klux Klan gather at a monthly ceremony on Dec. 11, 1976 in Dunham Springs, Louisiana. Wearing white hoods, they circle their traditional cross on fire.*

A couple of years back, Laffont and his wife started reviewing his extensive archive together. Laffont expressed gratitude for his wife's editing skills, stating, "Eliane is an excellent editor, and I am fortunate to be married to one." They collaborated with Marta Hallett, the publisher of Glitterati Incorporated, to create a book showcasing Laffont's work in the United States. They believed that most people were only familiar with his overseas photographs.

Recalling the moment, Laffont shared, "She saw the large box of images and around 20 pictures, and she immediately agreed to publish a book." This collaboration led to the creation of a 392-page book titled "Photographer's Paradise: Turbulent America 1960-1990," featuring 359 images, just a fraction of Laffont's extensive body of work.

Left: President Nixon resigns on Aug. 9, 1974. Right: A young couple kisses at the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, New York on July 28, 1973. The rock festival once received the Guinness Book of World Records entry for “Largest audience at a pop festival.”

*Surrounded by press and bodyguards, Muhammad Ali gestures before brawling with Joe Frazier at the New York studio of ABC during the weigh-in process on Jan. 23, 1974. Both were fined $5,000.*

Working on the book was an unexpected joy for Laffont, providing him with an opportunity to review his career, something he had not previously done. In 2001, he fell seriously ill due to an autoimmune disease, experiencing complete paralysis for a full year. He eventually had to undergo the process of relearning how to walk and move his body.

“I realised that I had lost three or four years of my life, and when I examined these photographs, I couldn't believe it was me. Gradually, my past memories returned, some of them vividly. I can almost recall conversations verbatim with the people I photographed as far back as 1965. Seeing my archive was a delightful surprise. While I never felt the need to revisit my past work, I have now developed a strong appreciation for it. I enjoy stumbling upon pictures that I had not previously seen.”