Jim Cummins

Jim Cummins (born 1944 in Harlem) is an American photographer known for his work in music (where his work appeared on over 900 album covers), journalism (including for Newsday, the New York Times, Life, Rolling Stone, and Newsweek—where his work earned a National Magazine Award), and sports (where he was a staff photographer for the National Basketball Association).

Early life

Born in 1944 in New York City, Cummins attended New York City's High School of Music & Art and studied art, drawing and painting at the New York City's Museum of Modern Art, at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and at the Art Students League of New York. He served from 1961 through 1965 in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Combat Illustrator before beginning his career in music and sports photojournalism in 1965.

Photography

Cummins began his career as a photojournalist working for Newsweek magazine from 1965 through 1970. He has worked freelance and as a staff photographer for the NBA, Black Enterprise Magazine, New York Times, Newsday and for the music labels Atlantic Records, Columbia Records, Capitol Records, Mercury Records, Savoy Records, Springboard Records and London Records.

The Music Album Cover years

From 1968 to the early 1980s, Cummins worked for Atlantic Records, Columbia Records, Capitol Records, Mercury Records, Savoy Records, Springboard Records and London Records, providing album cover photography for over 900 music album covers.