Thursday, April 21, 2011

Music-Loving Photographer, Chris Hondros, Killed in Libya

Chris Hondros (March 14, 1970 – April 20, 2011)
"Conjure a combat photographer in your mind’s eye — fatigues, a whiskey flask and a fondness for rude pastimes. Now discard the cliché and conjure Chris Hondros of Getty Images instead. A tweed blazer with elbow patches. A taste for martinis. A love of Mahler. And a passion for chess. Mr. Hondros, 41, was mortally wounded Wednesday in Misurata, Libya, not long after filing intensely close-up pictures of the fighting between rebel and government forces. Tim Hetherington, the director and producer (with Sebastian Junger) of the documentary Restrepo, was killed in the same attack. Two other photographers — Guy Martin and Michael Christopher Brown — were injured. Colleagues spoke on Wednesday of Mr. Hondros’s quiet drive, his steady friendship and his devotion to his fiancée, Christina Piaia. They also recalled several distinguishing habits and passions. 'He would be conducting with his hands as walked around,' said Chip East, a photojournalist. 'He knew more about classical music than anyone I know. He knew every beat to every symphony, every opera.'" [Source]

From a September 2010 New York Times article: "Lens recently recorded the screen of Mr. Hondros’s laptop as he timed his images to a recording of Bach’s Partita in D minor for solo violin performed by Mark Huggins, associate concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. All of the images were made through a Humvee window as Mr. Hondros rode through Baghdad." Watch the video here.