Thomas Hoepker

Thomas Martin Renatus Hoepker (German: Thomas Höpker; 10 June 1936 – 10 July 2024) was a German photographer and member of Magnum Photos. He was known for stylish color photo features, working from the 1960s for Stern and Geo on assignments around the globe as a photojournalist with a desire to photograph human conditions. He made an iconic pair of images of boxer Muhammad Ali, and a controversial photograph of people with the 9/11 World Trade Center destruction in the background, View from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Manhattan, 9/11.

Life and career Hoepker was born in Munich on 10 June 1936, The family moved to Albertaich after their apartment in Mandlstraße was bombed during World War Two. In 1964 he began working as a photojournalist for Stern. In the 1970s he also worked as a cameraman for German TV, making documentary films. In 1976 he and his wife relocated to New York City as correspondents for Stern. From 1978 to 1981 he was director of photography for the American magazine Geo. From 1987 to 1989 Hoepker was based in Hamburg, working as art director for Stern.

In 2001, Hoepker took a photograph of people in Brooklyn with the 9/11 World Trade Center destruction in the background, View from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Manhattan, 9/11. He did not publish it then but in 2006 agreed to it being published in a book about photography of the event. In 2002 he began using digital SLRs.

The president of Magnum, Cristina de Middel, wrote:

quote| A true visionary, Thomas's contributions extended beyond his remarkable, playful, poignant photographs. As President of Magnum Photos from 2003 to 2006, he led with unwavering dedication and a commitment to nurturing the next generation of photographers and securing the future of the agency as a relevant entity. His legacy within the Magnum community is one of inspiration, mentorship, and a relentless pursuit of excellence combined with kindness and generosity. Thomas Hoepker's work will continue to inspire and educate, reminding us of the power of photography to shape our understanding of the world.

Jugend in dieser Zeit, Steingrüben, Germany, 1957 Finnland, Terra Magica, Germany, 1960 Lebendiges Kiel, Presseamt der Stadt Kiel, Germany, 1963 Yatun papa. Father of the Indians. Dr. Theodor Binder, Kosmos, Germany, 1963 Horst Janssen, artist's portraits, Galerie Brockstedt, Germany, 1967 Die Iren und ihre Lieder, (The Irish and Their Songs), Germany, 1974 Berliner Wände, C. Hanser, Germany, 1976 Heinz Mack, Expedition in künstliche Gärten. Art in Desert and Ice, Sternbuch, Germany, 1977 Vienna, Time/Life books, Holland, 1978 Thomas Höpker (I Grandi Fotografi), Rizzoli, Italy, 1983 Die New York-Story, GEO Buch, Germany, 1983 Now! Überdosis New York/ HA Schult., Germany, 1984 Der Wahn vom Weltreich: Germany's Former Colonies, Sternbuch, Germany, 1984 Ansichten.Fotos von 1960 bis 1985, Braus, Heidelberg, Germany, 1985 Leben in der DDR. Life in East Germany, Sternbuch, Germany, 1985 Amerika: History of the Discovery from Florida to Canada, Germany, 1986 HA Schult, New York ist Berlin, Germany, 1986 New Yorker: 50 Unusual Portraits, Stemmle, Schaffhausen, Germany, 1987 Rome, Hofmann & Campe, Germany, 1988 HA Schult, Fetisch Auto, Germany, 1989 Land of Enchantment, New Mexico, Philip-Morris books, Germany, 1991 Return of the Maya: Guatemala. A Tale of Survival, Henry Holt, USA, 1998. Thomas Hoepker, Photographien 1955–2005, Schirmer & Mosel, Germany, 2005. Champ, Berlin: Peperoni, 2012. Thomas Hoepker, New York, teNeues, Germany, 2013. Heartland. Berlin: Peperoni, 2013. Wanderlust teNeues; Multilingual edition, 2014. Tod im Maisfeld (Death in a Cornfield, Guatemala, dir. Kruchen, Höpker), produced for Arte, broadcast on 10 August 1998, Medienpreis Entwicklungspolitik 1999 Die Insel Robinson Crusoe (Robinson Crusoe Island, 2000) Die Osterinsel (Easter Island, 2003) Eiskalte Pracht – auf Patagoniens gefährdeten Gletschern (Ice-cold Splendor, Patagonia, dir. Kruchen, Höpker, 2005)

Documentaries

Augenzeugen: Thomas Höpker, Robert Lebeck, Stefan Moses, script and dir.: , for BR and Arte, 1998 Grimme-Preis Dear Memories – Eine Reise mit dem Magnum-Fotografen Thomas Hoepker by , 2022 (trailer) 1968: Kulturpreis of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Photographie 2014: Leica Hall of Fame Induction, Leica Awards

Exhibitions Kunst und Gewerbe Museum, Hamburg, Germany, 1965 Rizzoli Gallery, New York and Rizzoli Gallery, Washington, D.C., 1976 Retrospective, 25 cities in Germany, 1985–1987 The Maya Kunsthalle Cologne, Cologne, Germany, 1994 Retrospective, Claus Tebbe Gallery, Cologne, Germany, 1995 Photographien 1955–2005, Photomuseum, Munich, Germany, 2006 Heartland, Leica Gallery Prague, Prague, Germany, 2014 Ali and Beyond, Bildhalle Museum, Zürich, Switzerland, 2015-2016 Thomas Hoepker - DEAR MEMORIES, Bildhalle Museum, Zürich, Switzerland, 2022