William Klein was an American photographer renowned for shaping the soul of street life in New York, Paris, and Rome. He passed away in Paris on a recent Saturday at 94, a death confirmed by his family after reports from local outlets. The news prompted reflections on a career that shifted the course of photojournalism and celebrated the vitality of urban culture.
Klein earned international acclaim for urban images, fashion photography, and exploratory cinema. His passing sparked conversations about a legacy that includes the book Life in New York Is Good and Good for You, a radiant tribute to the city he loved and documented with fearless immediacy.
Much like the later broad reception of Robert Frank’s The Americans, Klein’s work found a larger audience after a French publisher embraced the project, despite early hesitation from some American editors. Recognition for his contributions in the United States grew gradually through the 1980s, as audiences revisited his bold perspectives.
His unrestrained, freehand approach gave his photographs a sense of spontaneity as if captured on the fly. In the 1950s, Klein distinguished himself with images that conveyed raw impulse and street energy, challenging established norms of composition, lighting, and resolution.
Klein moved away from the era’s long-standing conventions and often pressed the people he photographed to respond, inviting reactions, laughter, or surprise when confronted with the camera. One of his most iconic images shows a boy pointing a gun toward the lens. In a 2005 interview with Le Monde, Klein recalled urging the subject to bring out a sense of danger or mischief, saying he asked the boy to “make the bad guy.”
Klein’s provocative methods extended beyond still photography. His fashion shoots and documentary projects placed him among the era’s notable talents, alongside Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, and Richard Avedon. Yet his work carried a distinctive edge, marked by fearless energy and a lasting independence from the mainstream rhythm of the industry.
Born in Manhattan in 1928, Klein was the son of Hungarian Jewish parents who later settled in Paris. The city’s influence shaped both his art and his politics, guiding his explorations in cinema and giving his voice a sharp edge. His filmography includes works such as Who Are You Polly Magoo? and documentary features like Far From Vietnam, reflecting engagement with timely social issues. His cinematic gaze turned Rome into a living set during early explorations of the city, yielding memorable collaborations with Italian cinema talents.
Rome, described by peers as a living movie, drew praise from contemporaries, with figures such as Federico Fellini acknowledging Klein’s influence in capturing the city’s essence. Pier Paolo Pasolini also supported Klein’s work, helping to publish materials that captured the heartbeat of street life and artistic movement.
As years passed, Klein maintained high energy with gallery shows across Europe. He sustained an active dialogue with journalists and fans, openly addressing political shifts in his homeland. His enduring presence in the art world underscored a commitment to expression that crossed borders, inviting audiences to reexamine the ordinary through a crisper, more human lens.