Jerry Schatzberg
The photographer who shot Dylan's Blonde on Blonde — then won the Palme d'Or
Jerry Schatzberg (b. 1927, The Bronx) built a career as a fashion and portrait photographer in 1950s and '60s New York — shooting for Vogue, Esquire and McCall's — before a single record sleeve made him part of rock history.
In 1966 he photographed Bob Dylan for the cover of Blonde on Blonde, one of pop's first double albums. The now-famous image is slightly out of focus; Schatzberg shot Dylan outdoors in the cold, and Dylan chose to keep the blur. The picture wrapped around a gatefold that helped establish the LP as an art object.
Schatzberg then turned to directing. His films include Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970), The Panic in Needle Park (1971) and Scarecrow (1973) — the last, starring Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
- Born
- 1927, The Bronx, New York
- Role
- Photographer & film director
- Known for
- Bob Dylan, 1960s portraiture
- Active
- 1950s – present
Signature style
Schatzberg brought a fashion photographer's eye for spontaneity and mood to portraiture — intimate, off-guard, willing to let an 'imperfect' frame stand. The accidental blur of Blonde on Blonde is the perfect example: atmosphere chosen over technical polish.
Defining covers
Blonde on Blonde
Bob Dylan · 1966
Schatzberg's out-of-focus street portrait of Dylan, shot in the New York cold — the blur was an accident Dylan liked and kept. It wrapped around one of rock's first double-album gatefolds.
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We're Only in It for the Money
The Mothers of Invention · 1968
Schatzberg photographed the Mothers of Invention's elaborate send-up of Sgt. Pepper's — a parody tableau that was moved inside the gatefold over fears of a lawsuit.
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Cover evolution
Jerry Schatzberg · 1966–1968
Every Jerry Schatzberg cover in the archive
Frequently asked
- Who is Jerry Schatzberg?
- An American photographer and film director (b. 1927). He built a career in fashion and portrait photography before shooting Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde (1966), then turned to directing films.
- Did Jerry Schatzberg win a Palme d'Or?
- Yes — his 1973 film Scarecrow, starring Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
- Why is the Blonde on Blonde cover blurry?
- Schatzberg photographed Dylan outdoors in the cold and the image came out slightly out of focus. Dylan liked the effect and chose to keep it.