An Evening with Jean-Pierre Laffont: Photojournalist, Storyteller, Witness

Camera West - SoHo Welcomes Legendary Photojournalist Jean-Pierre Laffont for an evening of stories, pictures, and the tools that made them.

Date/Time: June 6th, 6-8pm | Camera West SoHo - NYC

Camera West - SoHo is honored to host French-American photojournalist Jean-Pierre Laffont for one evening only on Friday, June 6, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at 460 West Broadway. The event will bring together a pop-up exhibition of Laffont’s work, a rare display of his personal cameras, a conversation with the photographer, and a signing of two of his most celebrated books.

The Artist talk will begin at 6:30pm.

A founding member of Gamma USA and Sygma Photo News, Laffont arrived in the United States from Paris in 1964 and went on to become the premier French photographer chronicling America’s most transformative decades. From the civil rights movement to Watergate, from Vietnam to the streets of New York City, his lens has captured the moments and figures that defined a generation. Over more than five decades on assignment, he has photographed Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Andy Warhol, and countless others, documenting global conflicts and cultural shifts across every continent. His 1979 photo essay on global child labor helped reshape UNICEF policy and cemented his reputation as one of the great humanitarian photographers of his time.

Free and open to the public. Space is limited. RSVP is required.

The evening will include:

• A Pop-Up Gallery. A curated selection of Laffont’s photographs will be on display in store for the evening, offering a rare opportunity to see prints from one of the most revered documentarians of the past century.
• The Photographer’s Cameras. Several of Laffont’s personal cameras and lenses will be on exhibition, including the Zeiss 15mm Hologon, a Black Paint 35mm 8-Element Summicron for the Leica M3, and a Black Paint 50mm Rigid Summicron, alongside other rare items from his working kit.
• A Conversation with Jean-Pierre Laffont. Laffont will share stories from a lifetime in the field, the philosophy behind his work, and the tools he relied on to make the pictures.

Book Signing. Laffont will sign copies of two of his celebrated monographs:Laffont’s honors include the French Legion of Honor, the Lucie Award, and multiple World Press Photo awards. He is featured in Leica’s Become a Witness to a Century project, a digital timeline commemorating photographers whose work has shaped the past century of culture, society, and innovation.

• Photographer’s Paradise (2014), a work documenting forty years of American life across all fifty states.
• New York City Up and Down (2017), a forty-year portrait of his adopted hometown organized into three sections: The City Never Sleeps, The Movers and Shakers, and The Mean Streets.

About Camera West

Founded in 2000, Camera West is a premier retail destination reaching those wh o appreciate well-made, enjoyable-to-use tools of time, both those that capture it and those that tell it. With offerings from Leica, Hasselblad, and Fujifilm, alongside our in-house watch boutique, CW Watch Shop, Camera West pairs a unique selection of timekeeping and photographic tools with personalized service, a curated pre-owned and vintage selection, and a showcase of fine photography that brings people and their stories together through a shared passion for capturing, collecting, and connecting. Visit Camera West in Palm Springs, SoHo - New York City, and San Francisco or online at camerawest.com

Event Details:

• Camera West SoHo, 460 West Broadway, New York, NY 10012
• Friday, June 6, 2026 | 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Free and open to the public. Space is limited. RSVP is required.

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