Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Jerry Bauer

I recently received an email from one Jonathan Bauer, a relative of Jerry Bauer, who has died. He was the guy who took that first photograph of me you’ll see in older copies of my first books (to the left here). Jonathan asked if I could write a note to be read at Jerry’s funeral. I fear I missed that ... deadline, but here it is for you.


It's been eleven years now since my photograph session with Jerry Bauer, so please forgive some hazy recollection. This was all a bit odd to me since I'd only just been taken on by Pan Macmillan and couldn't quite accept that readers might want to see a picture of me. Caroline and I met him where instructed at Temple underground station then I believe went off to a cafe where he bought us coffee. I can't remember if it was at the station or in the cafe where I saw his well-worn cameras, one loaded with colour film and one with black and white. I wondered why he hadn't gone digital, but obviously these were the tools he was used to. He led us off into the streets around Temple, favoring litter-choked alleys where I could pose as the mean and moody hard-ass SF writer. I felt like a complete tart and slightly embarrassed, folding up the collar of my jacket, dipping my head just so, noting people wandering past and gazing at me in puzzlement as they wondered who I might be. Whilst all this was going on we chatted to Jerry. Caroline was fascinated to hear stories about him photographing Julie Christy and (I think) Dirk Bogart. When he casually mentioned another SF writer he'd photographed, Robert Silverberg, I repeated the name, slightly gobsmacked. He reacted enthusiastically, 'Do you know Bob?' he asked me. Erm, not really. The previous names mentioned just sailed by me, but Robert Silverberg was a legend. Later, about the time we parted, he asked if I would like my photographs touched up. I said no -- I didn't want to frighten anyone when they actually met me.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Jerry knew I was nervous and quickly put me at ease. Seemed like a nice guy.

5 comments:

Mark T Croucher said...

Very nice, I hope it makes it to the funeral. I love these type of stories where you meet someone who knows someone, especilly if they are a hero of yours.

Glass of Words said...

Neal,
Do you have contact information for Jonathan Bauer? I'd like to know if there has been an estate set up in order to handle rights to his photos.
Thanks,
SD
scdoheny@gmail.com

Glass of Words said...

Hi Neal,
Do you have contact information for Jonathan Bauer?
I'd like to find out if an estate has been set up to handle rights to Jerry Bauer's photos.
Thanks,
SD
scdoheny@gmail.com

JBauerPhotography.com said...

My name is Jerry Bauer & I am a photographer. For the past 4-5 years, I have had a website & listing on Google Search Engines & have been receiving numerous requests for permission to use photos produced by the great
"Jerry Bauer, Photographer of Authors." Until now I have not been able to locate the man. Now I know why. I would like to contact Jonathon Bauer to arrange to send these requests to him for the benefit of his estate, etc. Any help you can offer would be appreciated. If you do not feel comfortable sending his info to me, please send mine to him with this message so we can connect. Thank you.
JB
canonshooter2@gmail.com or
greenngold1@cox.net

Neal Asher said...

Let me refer you, Jerry, and anyone else enquiring here to a more recent post: http://theskinner.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/jerry-bauer.html