Hutong Wall, Beijing, China

Larry M.Kushner

Larry M. Kushner was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. During his teens he became interested in imagery. He began photographing using a 35mm still camera and experimenting with motion pictures.

Larry attended Santa Monica College, studying in the professional photography program. This program gave him a solid technical understanding of the photographic process.

After graduation from Santa Monica College he became a photographer in the Navy where he gained substantial professional experience in areas of commercial, industrial and journalistic photography.

From1969 to 1971 Larry attended California State University at Northridge as an Art major, concentrating on the study of photography and design. During this time Larry was doing freelance magazine assignments and began photographing and interviewing musicians. In 1971 Larry was awarded his B.A. Degree.

Larry then enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Oregon and was awarded a M.S. Degree in 1973. The Graduate School designed a unique program specially formulated to support his interests and to help Larry develop the skills he required. This program allowed Larry to work extensively in areas of journalistic photography, large format landscape photography, and photographic chemistry. During this period Larry continued to extensively photograph musicians. While studying at the University of Oregon Larry was afforded the extraordinary opportunity to meet, study with and photograph with illuminaries of photography such as Ansel Adams, Brett Weston and Minor White.

In 1974 Larry became an instructor of photography at L.A. Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California. He taught advanced photography, photographic laboratory and video production. He, also, served as media consultant to the college’s faculty.

During 1978 Larry became director of a research and development project. He was able to obtain substantial grant funding and supervised a staff of up to 14 members. The project developed technical sign language for deaf students and interpreters resulting in the publication of 13 sign language books and 17 hours of video programming.

Since 1981 Larry has concentrated on several forms of fine art photography. He is highly involved in cityscape and landscape photography with great interest in architectural details. He, also, finds journalistic and environmental portraiture especially interesting.

Larry has been photographing while traveling in China since 1967. He has been fascinated by the culture and landscape. Over the years he had witnessed many changes to the culture and infrastructure. His photographs have documented many of these evolutionary changes. His long time experience in China has given rise to unusually perceptive insights into Chinese culture and social development.

Currently Larry is working on archiving more than 40 years of photographic images. He is now working on several photographic books involving China, Jazz Musicians and environmental portraiture.