20th Century Photographers

33Pete Turner

Photographer’s Forum, November 1988

Pete Turner (b. 1934) is much admired for his creative use of deeply saturated colors, his graphic sense, and his vivid, often surreal imagination. He started his professional career in 1958, and his early editorial work appeared in numerous national magazines. His first book, Pete Turner: Photographs (Harry Abrams, 1987), came out right before this interview was conducted and featured 100 of his top photographs. Other books include Pete Turner: African Journey (2001) and The Color of Jazz: Album Cover Photographs by Pete Turner (2006), a collection of his record album covers that includes classics such as Stan Getz’s Focus, Oliver Nelson’s Blues and the Abstract Truth, and the John Coltrane Quartet’s ...