Famed Motorsports Photographer Jesse Alexander Has Died
Santa Barbara’s Jesse Alexander, the motorsports photographer who brought the world of motorsports, and especially Formula 1 close at hand for American audiences, has died at home at the age of 92. A lover of all things vehicular from his early years, the Californian developed a love of photography through the abilities of his stepfather, who loved making films. It was then that Jesse’s love of cars and his ability to use his artist’s eye as a photographer melded.
Alexander’s first – and last – home in Santa Barbara was, in his youth a hotbed of sports car activities – and even some drag racing – and he attended races and photographed nearly all of them, capturing heroes of the 1950s as they wrangled beastly racing cars around his hometown. His first out-of-area photography trip was to the La Carrera Panamerica, a race that celebrated the completion of the Panamerica highway from top to bottom of Mexico. In 1953 he attended his first La Carrera and photographed the mighty American sedans, as well as the European entries that changed the stature of the long race.
After that, Alexander packed his family and moved to Europe to photograph big races on the continent, including the 1,000-mile Italian race, the Mille Miglia. In 1954, he told rqmotors.com, “While exploring the continent with my camera in hand, I found myself in Reims on the 4th of July, photographing the French Grand Prix. I realized that this was what I really wanted to do with my life. So racing, cars, photography – they all came together and it really developed organically into a career.”
Alexander’s production of iconic images – no one will forget his photo of an exhausted Jim Clark, eyes rimmed in dirt with his goggles around his neck – continued well into this century. The last time we worked together was for 2015’s Rennsport Reunion V, the annual celebration of all things Porsche Motorsport, held that year at the Laguna Seca road course on central California’s Monterey Peninsula. This was a little more than six years ago and, while it was difficult for him to walk the course, he continued to find areas, like the famous Corkscrew turn – where he could exercise his never-diminished skills.
Alexander was in declining health at that time and continued to lose his physical capabilities, but his mind was mostly untouched. HIs good friend and assistant, Ken Manfred, said he was comfortable and at peace just a few days before he departed this world.
While most of his books are out of print, there are still some available through Alexander’s website: jessealexander.com. Prints, too, are available for sale. His work is regularly shown at galleries in California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Michigan and in London, England.