A Life of Character Exploration

By TRILBY BERESFORD | Reporter

Ginny Winn was known to the Palisadian-Post as a prior rock and roll photographer and current family therapist, but the extent of her photography career was only uncovered when she sent an email to the editor that contained a few Polaroids.

“I was a Warner Records staff photographer,” the Palisadian quickly dashed off, adding that she has “tons” of slides in her personal archive.

Winn grew up in Scarsdale, New York, and lived in Woodstock and Fire Island before coming to Los Angeles to do rear screen projections for a mixed-media musical about characters talking from the grave about their lives.

She photographed everybody who was anybody in the 1970s: James Taylor, Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Alice Cooper, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Gram Parsons and Jodie Foster, to name a few.

“Every six weeks, I would go on the road,” she said, using a Nikon film camera to capture her subjects in candid moments. Among her assignments was the album cover for Maria Muldaur’s “Midnight at the Oasis” in 1973.

The job had its downward spirals, punctuated by blatant sexism, though Winn recalled them without any sourness. “Twice I was almost fired for being a woman. I had never even thought about [gender] before, I just did my job.”

She later worked with photographer Norman Seeff for several years, who she remembers being “incredible.” He is still active today.

Throughout her life, Winn has particularly loved the process of taking Polaroids and making Polaroid transfers of her visual discoveries. Everything is powered by her fascination with people and places. “In the ’60s in New York, I would often stand on the street all day, just shooting characters,” she said.

Winn now declares photography a “professional hobby” and uses a Sony Mirrorless digital camera in the absence of film.

The day after our chat, Winn called back because she forgot to mention something that might be important. In the ’60s, she was a clothing designer for all the top stores on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

While few people forge multiple careers for themselves, even fewer recall their past adventures with such warmth, humor and joy. To me, that’s what makes Winn a startling and remarkable character.

Visit gwinn2020.com to explore Winn’s photography during the Warner Records era.