Guy Webster
Guy Webster (1919-2019) grew up in Beverly Hills. His father was an Academy Award winning songwriter and some of his best friends were also the children of celebrities. These connections later helped him become one of the most influential rock and roll photographers.
After college he reported to Fort Ord for military duty. A conscientious objector, he was assigned to teach recruits how to use a camera. He didn't know much about photography at the time, but quickly learned. After his service in the Army, Webster attended Art Center College of Design where he studied fine art photography.
His first rock and roll photo shoot was with The Rip Chords band. It came about through a childhood friend, record producer Terry Melcher. Then Lou Adler asked him to shoot the cover of the Mamas and Papas debut album. Soon Webster was in high demand as a rock and roll photographer. His most famous cover shoot was for the Doors first album in 1967.
Soon after he was hired to lead A&M record’s graphic design department. He stayed for several years, overseeing a golden age of album artwork. For much of the 1970s Webster lived in Europe, where he began photographing actors on location. He expanded his subject matter to include other musical genres, writers and actors. Some of his most famous subjects were The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Chicago, The Mamas and the Papas, and The Rolling Stones. He shot movie stars including Rita Hayworth, Dean Martin (a family friend), and Natalie Wood. He also photographed Presidents Reagan and Clinton.
In 1981, Webster moved to Ojai, where he lived the rest of his life.
The Webster photographs in this exhibition are celebrity portrait highlights. Some of his subjects have Ojai connections.
After college he reported to Fort Ord for military duty. A conscientious objector, he was assigned to teach recruits how to use a camera. He didn't know much about photography at the time, but quickly learned. After his service in the Army, Webster attended Art Center College of Design where he studied fine art photography.
His first rock and roll photo shoot was with The Rip Chords band. It came about through a childhood friend, record producer Terry Melcher. Then Lou Adler asked him to shoot the cover of the Mamas and Papas debut album. Soon Webster was in high demand as a rock and roll photographer. His most famous cover shoot was for the Doors first album in 1967.
Soon after he was hired to lead A&M record’s graphic design department. He stayed for several years, overseeing a golden age of album artwork. For much of the 1970s Webster lived in Europe, where he began photographing actors on location. He expanded his subject matter to include other musical genres, writers and actors. Some of his most famous subjects were The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Chicago, The Mamas and the Papas, and The Rolling Stones. He shot movie stars including Rita Hayworth, Dean Martin (a family friend), and Natalie Wood. He also photographed Presidents Reagan and Clinton.
In 1981, Webster moved to Ojai, where he lived the rest of his life.
The Webster photographs in this exhibition are celebrity portrait highlights. Some of his subjects have Ojai connections.