Magnum photographer Dennis Stock died aged 81 this week, leaving behind an exhaustive collection of jazz musicians and movie stars, over 28 books and his instantly-recognisable portrait of James Dean.

Born in 1928 in New York City, Stock was nothing if not prolific, managing to come out with either a book or exhibition every year. He began his photographic career as an apprentice to Life Magazine photographer Gjon Mili, and eventually became one of the first American photographers to join Magnum Photos in 1951.

‘Dennis Stock was among a group of photographers that were able to define themselves through iconic sets of images,’ Peter Hamilton, writer, curator and book publisher told the British Journal of Photography. ‘His images represented the essence of the 1950s cool. They also, perhaps, overshadowed him,’ despite the fact, Hamilton adds, that Stock continued to shoot commissions over the years. ‘He clearly still was a very able photographer.’

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