Connell, Will, 1898-1961

Connell was born in 1898 in McPherson, KS; came with mother to California, and attended Los Angeles High School; left in the tenth grade to enlist in the army, but World War I had ended; became a pharmacist; in the 1920's taught himself photography, and opened a studio in downtown LA in 1925; became a member of the Camera Pictorialists along with Edward Weston, Louis Fleckenstein, and others; taught at Art Center College in Pasadena from 1931 until his death; work also included movie publicity shots, magazine assignments and other commercial photography; was one of the first photojournalists, illustrating numerous articles for Colliers and The Saturday evening post; wrote long-running column in U.S. Camera called Counsel by Connell; produced three photography books: In pictures (1931), The missions of California (1941), and About photography (1949); he died in 1961.

Biography

Connell was born in 1898 in McPherson, Kansas; came with mother to California, and attended Los Angeles High School; left in the tenth grade to enlist in the army, but World War I had ended; became a pharmacist; in the 1920s taught himself photography, and opened a studio in downtown Los Angeles in 1925; became a member of the Camera Pictorialists along with Edward Weston, Louis Fleckenstein, and others; taught at Art Center College in Pasadena from 1931 until his death; work also included movie publicity shots, magazine assignments and other commercial photography; was one of the first photojournalists, illustrating numerous articles for Colliers and The Saturday Evening Post ; wrote long-running column in U.S. Camera called Counsel by Connell; produced three photography books: In Pictures (1931), The Missions of California (1941), and About Photography (1949); he died in 1961.

Biographical Narrative

Will Connell was born in McPherson, Kansas in 1898. His father, a cowpuncher, kept moving the family westward and ultimately left them in Portland, Oregon. Mrs. Connell, a school teacher, relocated to Los Angeles where Will, an only child, went to Los Angeles High School. In 10th grade, Will dropped out of school to join the Army, but World War I came to an end and spoiled his plans. He then had a variety of jobs from soda-jerk to pharmacist, a job for which he had to obtain a pharmacy license, which he updated with pride throughout his life.

In the 1920s, Connell became a self-taught photographer, learning on a four-by-five camera. In 1925, he opened a studio on Seventh Street in downtown Los Angeles and started to exhibit in Pictorialist exhibits with good success. He was a member of the Camera Pictorialists along with Edward Weston, Louis Fleckenstein, and others. He was also a member of a group of prominent Los Angelenos who met regularly at Jake Zeitlin's bookshop. They included Merle Armitage, Paul Jordan Smith, Phil Townsend Hanna, Lloyd Wright, Cary McWilliams, and Lawrence Tippet.

In 1931, Connell started a thirty year teaching career at Art Center College of Design that ended with his death in 1961. He was a dedicated teacher and held weekly meetings at his home for his students which always turned into lively discussions. Connell married a student of his, Grace Allen, and she stabilized his heretofore bohemian life by giving him a home and family: Will, Jr. (1935) and Samantha (1938). Will closed his downtown studio and worked out of a home office / studio. His work, in addition to teaching nights, now included publicity shots for the movie studios, magazine work, and various types of cormercial photography such as Sunkist ads, jewelry and fashion advertising for stores like Bullock's Wilshire, and industrial views for technical brochures, such as Kaiser Steel Mills in Fontana, California. He was one of the first photojournalists, and illustrated numerous articles for Colliers and The Saturday Evening Post . Not only did Connell provide pictures for magazines, for 15 years he also turned out a monthly column for U.S. Camera entitled Counsel by Connell. It was a very popular technical question and answer column done in an informal, humorous way. In addition to all his other work, Connell produced three photography books: In Pictures (1931), The Missions of California (1941), and About Photography (1949).

The UCLA holdings reflect all of Will Connell's work, and span his entire career.

Kayla Landesman