Elliott Erwitt

Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023) was an American photographer celebrated for his wry, humanistic images that blend humor and empathy. Born Elio Romano Erwitz in Paris on July 26, 1928, to Jewish‑Russian parents, he spent his childhood in Milan before emigrating to the United States in 1939. After studying photography and filmmaking at Los Angeles City College, Erwitt was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951, where he continued to photograph across Europe. Upon settling in New York, he met mentors Robert Capa, Edward Steichen, and Roy Stryker and joined Magnum Photos in 1953—serving three terms as its president beginning in 1968.

Erwitt’s signature style—decisive compositions laced with visual puns—captured both iconic figures (Marilyn Monroe, Richard Nixon, Che Guevara) and everyday absurdities (dogs chasing umbrellas, children framed by telephone wires). His preference for a Leica 35 mm and his use of both black‑and‑white and color film heightened the spontaneity and immediacy of his work, which appeared in Life, Look, Collier’s, and Newsweek.

Beyond photojournalism, Erwitt directed documentaries and produced programs for HBO. He authored over twenty monographs, including Personal Exposures and Dog Dogs, and received the ICP Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2011. On November 29, 2023, Elliott Erwitt passed away in New York at the age of 95, leaving behind an indelible legacy of images that continue to delight and provoke reflection on the human comedy.