October 21, 2011

You may not immediately recognize the name Barry Feinstein, but if you're a fan of music from the 60s and 70s, chances are you're familiar with his work. Feinstein, who passed away yesterday at age 80 from natural causes, was one of the most renowned chroniclers of the era, with a photography portfolio that includes over 500 album covers, celebrity portraits in Life, Time and Esquire, as well as iconic images of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Janis Joplin and more.

Though Feinstein's photography career began in the 1950s, taking photos of actors like Judy Garland for Hollywood studios, he preferred shooting musicians. In a promotional interview for a recent showing of his work at a SoHo museum, he said of working with close friend Bob Dylan: ""Bobby was easy to shoot... Musicians are actually easier to photograph than movie stars. They're just not as uptight."

In memory of the man, here's a short gallery of some of his more famous album covers.

For more of Feinstein's work, visit the late artist's site.