Iconic Photographer, Henry Diltz
- Cheryl Alterman | The Music Soup Editor
- Jun 16
- 7 min read
Look at any of your albums from the 1960s/70s and beyond and you are more than likely looking at a photo shot by the legendary photographer Henry Diltz.
About a month ago I got a call from one of my favorite music photographers, Henry Diltz to let me know he would be coming up to Northern California taking his photo presentation on tour. We had a lovely chat about music, photography and his upcoming tour. And as I like connecting people... I then contacted some fine radio people I know in the county, and arranged a phoner on one of the local stations (KRCB) with my friend Brian. Brian then did an on air interview with Henry to promote his show at The Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley and another show he had in Menlo Park on the following day, at the end of May 2025.
I first met Henry whilst at NAMM after one of his presentations there. The Music Soup team went down to NAMM a day early just to catch his presentation. After his standing room only talk at NAMM he agreed to an interview with The Music Soup team, you can see that here.
A special moment came at the end of the interiview there at NAMM in So Cal, as Henry asked if he could take a picture of us, The Music Soup team. Of course we were both flattered and promtly agreed with delight. I never saw those photos until a couple of weeks ago when I met with Henry on the day of his presentation at the Sweetwater at the end of May this year (2025). I walked in to meet with Henry as we had arranged, and as soon as he saw me he lifted his phone with a big smile on his face and he said, "look what I found"! He happily showed me the photos he shot of our first meeting in June '22 in Anaheim three years ago! It must have taken ages to find those photos, and what a lovely, kind gesture it was. So after three years I finally got the photos that the great photographer Henry Diltz shot of me and my team! What an honor that was and to have a Henry Diltz photo he took of me, and it is something I will cherish.
This iconic music photographer, Henry Diltz has shot photos for more than 200 album covers since the 1960s. His career started by sheer accident as mine did and so many others may have as well. Henry was a folk musician at the time in a band called the Modern Folk Quartet. Whilst touring with the band, they stopped alongside the road at a thrift store. He and another band member went in to browse and stretch their legs. He told me the story of the moment they walked in and his band mate saw a table with cameras and they both bought one for a whopping $20 each. He said he would've not even looked at the table if not for his pal picking up a camera to purchase. And it all started with that thrift shop along the road and a $20 purchase. From then on, he's been taking snaps of his friends, and pretty much anything that catches his eye. Most of his friends back in the day happened to be musicians. And every weekend they'd set up a slide projector in the backyard and have a slide show of the photos Henry shot of the friends that week. He told me that when he saw his photos being projected onto the screen, glowing amongst the night sky, it excited him so much so that this eventually became his career. And what a massive career it has been.
Henry was asked to be the official Woodstock photographer. All access and onstage capturing through his lens all of the amazing photos of the artists that performed at Woodstock and the sea of the 425,000 attendees at that historic music festival. Wow, what an experience that was for Henry to capture that event!
Henry also lived at the perfect time in Laurel Canyon where so many musicians, artists and bohemians of the 60s lived. And he was one of them. Just hanging out with all his pals, sitting around making music. He told me he has always preferred the banjo. When I asked him why, of all the stringed instruments, why the banjo, he said the banjo, to him is like the bagpipes with a 'drone-y' sounding string. So back in those days, if he wasn't holding a banjo or another stringed instrument, he was holding a camera. And when he was taking pictures no one seemed to notice because he was just 'one of the gang of friends' and that's one of the reasons Henrys' photos are so captivating, because he was simply capturing life in the canyon on a day to day, as he saw and experienced it, the music scene and his pals.
As time went on when new artists needed photography for their albums, Henry would get a call. He would go to their house usually just with his camera in hand, no fancy equipment like we have today and simply shoot. Another thing I find fascinating about Henry and his photos, is what he framed through his lens is exactly what we saw in the photo. He never cropped anything, even to this day where we all shoot digital, and use Photoshop or Lightroom to crop and manipulate. What Henry sees through his camera is what the photo is, no Photoshop, no Lightroom, no cropping involved...just pure, simple, beautiful images. What he sees through his lens is what we see in his prints. That is the Henry Diltz way. And being a photographer myself, I find this amazing.
Henry has so many interesting, humorous and charming stories, we could've been chatting for hours. I have an hour of it on video, it's taking me longer than I expected to edit but someday I hope to share it with you. Video editing has been a challenge for me, though I'm hoping to get better at it with time and experience. I will share it when it's done.
One of the stories Henry tells, is the story of Paul and Linda McCartney...he was friends with Linda Eastman before she was married. And one day she called him and asked him to come out to the house as she and her new husband wanted some candid shots for an upcoming magazine article on them. And "oh by the way", she said, "I got married and my husband is Paul McCartney!" From then on, Henry was the McCartneys photographer. Going on several holidays with the McCartney family and capturing their private times in beautiful, images.
During this interview in Mill Valley he talked about his career and fun stories of his life and his musician friends. I asked him all sorts of questions including some just for my own personal interests. Like what was Jim Morrison really like in person. His answer was that Jim was an introvert. You can tell he was an observer, probably constructing poems, lyrics and stories in his head all whilst hanging at bars and with friends. Henry said, he didn't talk much as he was more of an observer of life. That was the case until he had some booze or psychedelics in him, then he became more lively.
At the end of our time together I asked him for some constructive advice as a music photographer who wants to get on tour with a band before I leave this planet. So, before our meeting, I gave him a link to some of my work (at that time the link was through the college I was attending). He did his homework before we met up and he got through to the SRJC link that I had my previous portfolio on (for my class) and he saw my work. I asked him for an unedited, 'as brutally honest as he can be' critique on my work hoping he can give me some hard ass pointers to get me to the next level in my career. He then looked me straight in the eyes and all he said was, "it's perfect". That was not what I was looking for but what a lovely compliment from the legendary music photographer himself! I really was looking for something to guide me to that tour bus that would scoop me up on their way to the next show! But what I got was a lovely compliment. He added, if you can be good friends and just hang with some muscians with your camera at dinner parties and get togethers that would help. Funnily, that's exactly how I did start taking pictures...with my musician friends at dinner parties and jamming round the firepits etc. The difference is although I think my friends are super talented in making music, they are not in their teens and twenties on the brink of a huge lifetime music career like Henrys' friends' were back then, like all his pals, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, etc. etc etc.
One of my favorite stories that Henry told is when he started shooting for Ringo Starr. He and Ringo were watching a new drummer and Henry was very impressed by this amazing new drummer, so Henry turned to Ringo and said, where'd ya find this talented drummer and Ringo replied, "in me loins"! Of course that amazing young drummer was his son Zak!
During this hour sitting in the restaurant, Henry told me so many lovely stories. He also told some of the same stories on stage later that evening in the venue in front of a sold out crowd. Complete with a slide show and videos to add to the visual charm of this talented and lovely man. The musical history he brings to light during his presentation is priceless. If he goes on tour again, I'd suggest you grab a seat and take in that beautiful magical musical tour with this kind, and charming, iconic legendary photographer, Henry Diltz.
Until I finish the edit on the final video of my interview with Henry and other interesting bits and pieces, here are a couple videos I shot during his presentation at the Sweetwater. There will be more of this on my You Tube channel also, so please feel free to check it out and subscribe here: youtube.com/@TheMusicSoupVideo?sub_confirmation=1
Henry Diltz shows his work at Morrison Hotel Galleries, LA, Maui and in NY. He sells his prints there and online. You can find all the merch and contact info here.
Below are a few shots from Henrys' presentation: ©CherylAltermanPhotography 2025
Many thanks for your insightful review of an unforgettable evening with a legendary, engaging artist and his fascinating photos and backstories. I was fortunate to be there, and you captured the spirit of the event perfectly. I had met Henry about 25+ years ago at a benefit concert for the Carl Wilson Foundation at The Roxy on the Sunset Strip, and he hasn't aged a day!