A review by mallen8509
Take a Picture of Me, James Van Der Zee! by Andrea J. Loney

5.0

Take a Picture of Me, James Van Der Zee is one of my favorite books!

James Van Der Zee (1886-1983) was THE photographer of the Harlem Renaissance. If you’ve seen a photograph during this era, it probably was his work!

We learn that James’ interest in photography started when he was a kid. He bought his first camera as a young boy and became the second person in his hometown that owned a camera.

He learned how to make his subjects feel comfortable and always got the best shots. Van Der Zee went out of his way to make his photographs look great; he made sure he edited them to make sure his customers were always pleased.

Technology slowed down his business, but he got the recognition he deserved when the Metropolitan Museum of Art wanted to do an exhibit about Harlem (Harlem on My Mind) and used a lot of his work.

Some of the celebrities he’s taken pictures of are Marcus Garvey, Florence Mills, Joe Louis, and Jean Michel Basquiat!

I love the picture of the couple by the car in fur coats!