Herbert Keppler
For US readers of camera publications, the name Herbert Keppler (1925-2008) was ubiquitously familiar, with a carreer in the photo industry that spanned many decades. Herbert Keppler was born in New York, 1925, son of the photographer Victor Keppler. He was in the US Navy during WWII and after the war he pursued a career as photographer, later he went into publishing.
Keppler is better known as writer, editor, and camera reviewer, he spent the bulk of his career at Modern Photography, and led that title to a highly respected position, particularly for its technical depth and methodical way to test cameras, lenses and other equipment. During his tenure Modern Photography built a state-of-the-art independent test laboratory which was considered the benchmark for years, and his opinionated "SLR Notebook" column was very popular.[1] He then moved to Popular Photography where he continued until his death in 2008.
His views became widely influential, and in a loving tribute[2] his colleague Jason Schneider cites two examples: He was a prophetic early enthusiast both for SLRs, and for the Japanese camera industry, at times when both still had many doubters. He worked as consultant for several camera companies and was recognized by the Japanese government in 2002 for for his outstanding contributions to the development of the Japanese camera industry and the promotion of better understanding of Japan with The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette [3] .
Keppler wrote several books on photography, which are referenced often. such as The Asahi Pentax way and The Nikon way (see bibliography).
While sometimes dubbed "Herb" by those outside his circle, in person he went by "Burt."[4] His books and articles are still cited and enjoyed a dozen years after his death.
Notes
- ↑ Imaginginfo obituary
- ↑ "In Memoriam: Herbert Keppler, 1925-2008" by Jason Schneider, published December 17, 2008 and (as of July 2021) still available on the Popular Photography website
- ↑ Government of Japan to honor Mr. Herbert Keppler and Professor Rustum Roy (archived)
- ↑ According to a remembrance by his colleague Tony Karp, posted on his site Art and the Zen of Design.
Bibliography
- "124 Ways You Can Test Cameras Lenses And Equipment", 2015, ISBN 1297614887
- "Keppler on the Eye Level Reflex", 1960, AMPHOTO
- "The (Asahi/Honeywell) Pentax Way: The Pentax Photographer's Companion" with several editions by AMPHOTO and Focal Press, first published in 1966
- "The Nikon (& Nikkormat) Way", several editions by AMPHOTO and Focal Press, first published in 1978
Links
- New York Times obituary of Keppler, January 11, 2008.
- Imaginginfo obituary by Mason Resnick/Adorama, January 6, 2008
- Many Keppler columns From Popular Photography (post-1987 when he took over there) are available online via Google Books
- In a column from his 70th year, Keppler reminisces about his early cameras, including a beloved Reflex-Korelle SLR bought for him by his father.
