Self Portrait, 1991
Learning to Skate was recently featured in the landmark book, A History of Photography at Notre Dame: Twentieth Century by David Acton. Published by Giles, Ltd, this exquisite look at modern photography through 100 selected photographs accompanies an exhibit at the Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame. Included are works by such icons as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and Berenice Abbott. Writing about “Learning to Skate,” David Acton says: “This remarkably tender photograph taken on the street reflects Jaffee’s acute perception, his skill at capturing a powerful moment and his gift for storytelling.”
Read the entire essay here. For a 25% discount on the book, you can order directly from the publisher at https://gilesltd.com/product/history-of-photography.
Each gallery contains a collection of N. Jay Jaffee photographs. Check back often, as the site is continually updated. To purchase or license images, contact us.
The 35 photographs of “An Era Past” are of Brownsville and East New York, Brooklyn, from 1947–1956. N. Jay Jaffee printed a limited edition of portfolios in 1995. For more about the photographs, see "An Era Past" and "Reflections: My Early Photographs" essays.
In addition to the Brownsville and East New York neighborhoods featured in "An Era Past," N. Jay Jaffee photographed the people and places throughout Brooklyn. From Coney Island to Brooklyn Heights to downtown Brooklyn, his images captured the unique vitality, diversity, and history of the borough that every generation re-discovers. To find out more, read the essays "An Era Past" and "Reflections: My Early Photographs."
His lifelong love affair with New York City—the good, the bad, the ugly—led N. Jay Jaffee on a photographic journey through its bustling streets, lonely alleys, iconic markets, buildings, and storefronts. Yet, as every New Yorker knows, it is the people that are the heart of the city. From the reflective to the passionate, the tragic to the humorous, these images express the artist’s unique understanding and appreciation of the city he called home.
Although N. Jay Jaffee is best known for his photographs of people and cityscapes, he also loved nature. From the lush forests and streams of upstate New York, to the magnificent Point Lobos, California, to the beautiful Cape Cod seashore, to the dogwood trees in his own backyard, he provided new perspectives on the natural world.
In addition to each online “gallery,” organized by subject or theme, these photographs also reveal N. Jay Jaffee’s range of styles, locations, and skills.
N. Jay Jaffee was deeply committed to progressive causes. He worked to organize workers, marched for peace, civil rights, and economic equality. Although all of his photographs reflected his beliefs, these images portray particular events, observations, and experiences that expressed his worldview.