15 Facts About Benjamen Chinn

Benjamen Chinn was an American photographer known especially for his black and white images of Chinatown, San Francisco and of Paris, France in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Benjamen Chinn was introduced to photography at the age of ten by his older brother, John, who taught him how to develop and print photos.

Benjamen Chinn was particularly close to Cunningham, and through the end of her life he would often bring dim sum to her house for their lunches together.

Benjamen Chinn made intimate portraits of everyday life in the post-war era.

Benjamen Chinn went on to Europe and photographed Parisian street life from 1950 to 1951 while studying sculpture from Alberto Giacometti at the Academie Julian.

Benjamen Chinn took painting classes at Fernand Leger's school, and geography and philosophy at the Sorbonne.

In 1953, Benjamen Chinn went to work for the Sixth United States Army Photo Lab in the Presidio of San Francisco.

Benjamen Chinn met Paul Caponigro, then a twenty-year-old enlisted man doing his military service at the lab.

Benjamen Chinn continued to travel with his camera, photographing the Tarahumara Indians in Copper Canyon, Mexico, and the indigenous peoples of Teotitlan.

Benjamen Chinn continued to photograph with a 35mm camera and shared his artistry through holiday cards and documentary photography support for Project Concern International.

Benjamen Chinn lived in the family house in Chinatown until February, 2008, when he was moved to an assisted-living facility.

Benjamen Chinn died on April 25,2009, at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Francisco, California.

Benjamen Chinn's work evidenced the influence of the world of black and white art photography in the United States, during the 1940s and 1950s.

Benjamen Chinn's work became influential for many new and already esteemed artists.

In more than one of his publications, noted landscape photographer Paul Caponigro has acknowledged the influence that studying with Benjamen Chinn had on him.