George Silk

George Silk (17 November 1916 – 23 October 2004) was a New Zealand-born Australian photojournalist. He served as a photojournalist for Life for 30 years.

Early life Silk was born in the New Zealand town of Levin, New Zealand, the fourth child of Arthur Silk and Emma Constance Naylor. He left school at the age of 14 and worked in camera shop at 16.

In December 1972, Silk was in Nepal, shooting an assignment on Himalayan game parks, when he received news that the magazine had folded. According to the 1977 book That Was the Life, he replied by saying, "Your message . . . badly garbled. Please send one-half million dollars additional expenses."

Accolades In 1961, Silk was chosen as one of 50 outstanding Americans of meritorious performance in the fields of endeavour, to be honoured as a Guest of Honor to the first annual Banquet of the Golden Plate in Monterey, California. Honor was awarded by vote of the National Panel of Distinguished Americans of the Academy of Achievement.

Edward Steichen included his pictures taken in Jamaica in the 1955 Museum of Modern Art exhibition The Family of Man which toured the world to be seen by 9 million visitors.

He was named magazine photographer of the year four times by the National Press Photographers Association.

Personal Silk became a U.S. citizen in 1947 and married Margery Gray Schieber on 22 November 1947 at San Gabriel, California, USA. Silk died in Norwalk, Connecticut on 23 October 2004 due to congestive heart failure.