Sad News about Photograper and Editor Al DeBat

Originally Posted: Monday, April 07, 2008

Long time ASMP member, photographer and editor Al DeBat past away March 30. The obituary below was written by his jounalist brother Don (the obituary continues on one of my sites)
Al DeBat, photo journalist and world traveler, dies at 76

Alfred Louis DeBat was an international photography expert, photo journalist, bon-vivant and world traveler who circled the globe several times in career and leisure-time adventures that saw him tour more than 175 countries on all five continents.

Mr. DeBat has long been recognized as a leading authority on digital imaging and traditional photography. He served as Editor-in-Chief of several prominent national publications, including Digital Imaging Digest, Professional Photographer, Photomethods, and Creative Camera.

Working as globetrotting professional magazine photographer for several years, Mr. DeBat also wrote travel articles for Crossroads Magazine and other publications. He was a member of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Sought-after as a digital expert, Mr. DeBat most recently served as Technical Editor for major book publishers and has edited several digital imaging and photography volumes.

He was also the editor of the local American Society of Media Photographers, Chicago/Midwest, publication, The Loupe, which won first prize several years for best chapter publication. He was senior editor of the Photo Marketing Association International’s photo information website: www.Prints-Are-Memories.com.

“Whether it was sailing off to the Far East on a tramp steamer, trekking through the jungles of Cambodia to photograph fabled temples at Ankor Wat, or scaling the peaks of Nepal, young Al DeBat – like his hero Ernest Hemingway – was always with passport and on the move,” said Don DeBat, his brother.

Mr. DeBat, 76, who died on Sunday, March 30, 2008, in hospice at the Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights, IL, proudly displayed a world map in his home that pinpointed his travels – from Africa, China, Afghanistan, and Tahiti to Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Tibet. (continued)

I knew Al when he edited the chapter publication The Loupe in the mid and late nineties. He was a dedicated editor and a good friend. I learned many things from him.

Frank McMahon

Sad News about Photographer Archie Lieberman

Originally Posted: Sunday, March 16, 2008

Early ASMP member Archie Lieberman passed away last week.

Archie Lieberman, 81, passed away on March 13. He was born and raised in Chicago and attended the Chicago Institute of Design and the Art Institute of Chicago. During World War ll he served as Marine combat photographer in the Pacific.

He was a photojournalist for magazines, advertising agencies, corporations, including extensive work for Look Magazine between 1952 and 1972.

He was the author of, or photographer for, over 20 books and his work was exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the country and abroad. He won many awards, including five from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Friends of Literature, Society of Professional Journalist and an honorary Doctorate from the University of Dubuque, where he taught “Powerful Ideas in Photography”. He also taught photography classes at Columbia College, Chicago, and Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.

Though he traveled widely, he was happiest at his farm in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, his home for the last 25 years. He documented farm life there with his books “Farm Boy” and “Neighbors”.

His work has been memorialized at archielieberman.com .
Archie said he knew me since I was in diapers. I remember him from a bit later. I said to his son Bob in an email “Taking pictures I always wondered what Archie would think of this. He got me my first intern job in photography.” Bob replied that Archie would say we make pictures not take them. Archie’s perspective was that of an earthy photographic reality. I suppose it is no accident that my home is near where the Farm Boy and Archie lived.

Frank McMahon

Pictures from a Chicago Landmark

Originally Posted: Tuesday, May 27, 2003

Pictures from a Chicago Landmark, Maxwell Street. Here is a Web essay on old Chicago landmark in a new place, Maxwell Street on Canal, http://frankmcmahon.com/maxwellstreet/maxwellstreet.htm. Some information about the new Maxwell Street – http://www.openair.org/maxwell/newmax.html (This is being sent via email to CHIMW Blog and then automatically posted — the message below is better formatted using the desk top client)
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Pictures from a Chicago Landmark, Maxwell Street
Here is a Web essay on old Chicago landmark in a new place, Maxwell Street on Canal.

About the new Maxwell Street – http://www.openair.org/maxwell/newmax.html

10 ASMP Photographers go to China

Originally Posted: Friday, December 07, 2007

In October ten ASMP photographers, nine from Chicago, went to China to document the eastern coast port city of Rizhao at the invitation of the Shandong Provincial government.

The whole group presenting a computer slideshow of our work to our main host Dr. Li Zhaoqian at a banquet on the last night of the trip (Dirk Fletcher photo).

Group 2 in the Black Pottery Art Center with black pottery folk artist Xing Baodong in Rizhao.

Group 1 working the Forbidden City in Beijing (Frank McMahon photo).

It was a wonderful trip, though……

Group members left to right, back to front
Elie Berkman, Dirk Fletcher, Frank McMahon, Eric Futran,
Lee Balgemann and David Seide (David’s selftimed photo).
Marc Hauser, Sylvia Plachy, Ron Gould and Karen Hirsch.
we came back one tired group.

Articles and events related to the trip: Spreading Sunshine in China: An Unforgettable Journey for Chicago Photographers Presentation 4/3/08 at Calumet Photographic, Chicago, Rizhao, China: the view from Chicago in the 2/17/08 Chicago Sun-Times and Rizhao—in the Eyes of American Photographers in the 1/19/08 Rizhao News, China (this is a link to a page on an US server that has the translation and links to the Chinese server).

Elie Berkman
David Seide
Frank McMahon

Sad news about photographer Don Johnson

Originally Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007

I learned some sad news yesterday. Chicago area photographer Don Johnson passed away recently.
Donald C. “DJ” Johnson, of Sawyer, MI, passed away suddenly on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, in St. Joseph. Memorial Services in DJ’s memory will be held at a later date in Illinois and Michigan. Memorial donations may be made to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Friends wishing to send his family a message of condolence may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com

DJ was born on Nov. 20, 1950, in Chicago, to Donald C. and Lois Johnson. He graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, in 1972, with a Bachelors Degree. On May 18, 1985, he married Susan Paluch in Evanston, IL.

DJ was a professional Location Photographer and served as president of Mid-States Imaging Association – MIPA. He especially enjoyed photographing Nature Settings.

In his leisure time, DJ enjoyed playing both tennis and golf. DJ also loved spending time in Shorewood Hills and with his dogs. DJ is survived by his wife of 22 years, Susan; by his uncle, Edward N. (Doris) Stevenson of Windsor Locks, CT; his aunt, Anne Galm of Fairfax, VA;stepsisters, Sharon (Kirk) Martin of Aptos, CA and Bonnie Ferguson of San Jose, CA; nephew, Scott Ferguson of San Jose, CA; and by his special
close friends, John (Becca) Allegretti, Robert (Michelle) Sebastian
and George Keporos. He was preceded in death his parents.

I first knew DJ when he was in the photo department at McDonald’s. Later he was in charge of production for the Loupe, the chapter magazine. He once used me as a model for a photograph where I was using a cell phone, when cell phones weighed a brick. DJ always had an opinion.

He will be missed.

Frank McMahon