David Vestal (b 1924) was born in Menlo Park, CA. He was an accomplished photographer and writer. Vestal made a great photograph of Smith after he came across him wandering around Sixth Avenue in the mid-1960s after his loft had been robbed by junkies. Vestal also wrote one of the best pieces about Smith ever published, attempting to debunk the mythology surrounding Smith's battles with Life's editors. The article, "A Great Unknown Photographer – W. Eugene Smith," was published in Popular Photography in December 1966. In this oral history, Vestal goes into great detail about his background and training as a photographer, including stories about attending the Art Institute, studying Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, and taking classes with Sid Grossman of the famed Photo League. Vestal also discusses W. Eugene Smith life, work, and relationships at length.
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JL Interview, D Vestal.doc