Articles

This photo gallery showcases early images by renowned photographer Thomas Hoepker, featuring a diverse array of subjects from the 1950s to 1970s. Highlights include lifeguards on a Sydney beach, Muhammad Ali being fitted for a suit in London, a clown at a Nevada lunch counter, and street scenes from Italy and the US. The collection offers a glimpse into historical moments and everyday life across various locations, captured with Hoepker's keen eye for detail and humanity. Read Article

In 1963, photojournalist Thomas Hoepker traveled across the USA for three months, documenting the country for the German magazine Kristall. Nearly sixty years later, in 2020, he retraced the same route, capturing contemporary images with modern Leica equipment. Both series are featured in the new book "The Way it was. Road Trips USA" and displayed at the Ernst Leitz Museum. Hoepker's work reveals the evolving American landscape and society, juxtaposing his early black-and-white photographs with later color images that reflect a more personal and reflective perspective. Read Article

Thomas Hoepker’s photographs from a 1963 road trip across America offer a poignant social commentary on a divided nation. His black and white images capture the lives of ordinary Americans, highlighting the fragility of the American dream by focusing on marginalized communities. Decades later, Hoepker undertook another road trip in 2020 despite his Alzheimer's diagnosis, producing color photographs that retain his characteristic humor and social critique. His work contrasts the varying realities across the country, from conservative small towns to vibrant urban coasts. Read Article

Thomas Hoepker's book, "The Way It Was: Road Trips USA," juxtaposes his black-and-white photographs from a 1963 road trip across the United States with color images taken during a return trip in 2020. The work explores the passage of time, American culture, and societal changes through intimate and unromanticized visuals. Hoepker's photography captures the complex realities of America, balancing themes of hope, loss, and critique. The book includes a thoughtful preface by Freddy Langer, reflecting on the meaning of a road trip as a search for insight and memory. Read Article