On Howard Greenberg
“I wanted to study psychology,” but “she turned me onto taking photos” recalled a nostalgic Howard Greenberg, laureate man of photography. As Mr. Greenberg spoke at the Macaulay Honors College, he reminded college students what all too many ignore: our ability to take a risk and study what we love.
During the 1960s, before photography gained prominence as an established art form, the merit of a photograph would not afford much monetary value. Mr. Greenberg’s ardor for photography urged him to collect thousands of photographs. Tapping into the reserves of Woodstock, NY he excavated many masterpieces, housing them in his early non-profit art gallery that he opened in Woodstock. While it afforded only a meager living Mr. Greenberg remained in pursuit of his of fascinations. “It meant more to me than selling shoes,” he joked. Today, however, Howard Greenberg is a reputable name in the world of professional photography. He now represents the works of masters such as Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Weston in his Manhattan gallery, also distinguishing himself as a businessman.
As he became an authority on 19th and 20th century photography, Greenberg exemplified personally driven success. If he left the discussions without enticing some students to pick up their cameras, he certainly left them to contemplate the tenacity of their prospects.
