John Gutmann

Who was John Gutmann?

John Gutmann was a German-born American photographer and painter.

After fleeing Nazi Germany for being a Jew, Gutmann acquired a job in the United States as a photographer for various German magazines. Gutmann quickly took an interest in the American way of life and sought to capture it through the lens of his camera. He especially took an interest in the Jazz music scene. Gutmann is recognized for his unique "worm's-eye view" camera angle.

He enjoyed taking photos of ordinary things and making them seem special.

He created the John Gutmann Photography Fellowship Award, through the San Francisco Foundation.

The full archive of John Gutmann's work is located at the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson, which also manages the copyright of his work.