By now we all know of the passing of Gary J. Benson. The following memorandum appeared in the January/February 1998 issue of the American Society of Media Photographer's ASMP Bulletin:
Gary Benson: trains were his passion Gary J. Benson, 42, of Bernardsville, New Jersey, died, December 15, following complications from a failed kidney transplant in September, 1997. Benson was a graduate of Bridgewater East High School and later studied film-making at the Rochester Institute of Technology. His first photographic specialty involved several years photographing the drama of urban firefighting in Boston, Detroit, Chicago and New York City. As part of this study he lived in a firehouse in Harlem, New York, for a year. The resulting images were featured in dozens of magazines, most notably: Geo, Smithsonian, and Zoom, and continue to be published as part of his stock collection. In 1987, while traveling on assignment in the southwest, Benson became interested in photographing railroads. During the next several years, he produced a series of images that led to a book contract with W.W. Norton, New York. In 1991, Benson's first book, ROLLING THUNDER: A Portrait of North American Railroads, was released and received critical acclaim. His new specialty and the resulting file of railroading images led to stock and assignment work for advertising, corporate and editorial clients throughout the United States and Canada. His reputation as a railroad photographer led to his writing and photographing another book on the subject for Kalmbach Publishers, Waukesha, Wis., in 1993. This book, THE ART OF RAILROAD PHOTOGRAPHY, offered technical tips and secrets of this specialty. Concurrent with his interest in railroading, Benson also developed a new interest in equestrian photography, and spent several years photographing the world of equestrian competition. This specialty resulted in another photographic book, IN THE IRONS: Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, which was published by Howell Publishers, New York. He is survived by his wife, Susan E. Benson, his mother Mrs. Harold Benson, and two brothers, Glenn and Gerald. His family has requested that in lieu of flowers, please send donations to: Morristown Memorial Hospital, CAPD Patient Fund, 100 Madison Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960. - Loren Fisher -> SPORRS: Serious Photographers of Railroad Related Subjects -> Web Site: http://www.anet-stl.com/acphotog/sporrs -> Message © SPORRS® 1998 - All Rights Reserved
