“For the kinds of photography I do, there has to be first SEEING and a spontaneity and not thinking too much about the technical stuff. You need to know how to render what you see and feel. I shoot pretty much reflexively. The key to a good photograph for me is when it all comes together and clearly conveys the content to the viewer.”

Joseph A. Rosen: Inside the Moment

Iconic Blues, Soul, Jazz, Rock, and R&B Images and History

Joseph A. Rosen is an acclaimed freelance photojournalist and commercial photographer based in New York City, widely recognized for his masterful documentation of the American music scene across a career spanning more than four decades. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in Photography and Related Studies, Rosen has built an illustrious portfolio capturing the absolute essence and raw emotion of legendary artists across blues, jazz, soul, rock, and R&B, such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and James Brown. His profound contribution to the music world was officially recognized in 2002 when the Blues Foundation presented him with the prestigious "Keeping the Blues Alive in Photography and Art Award". Beyond his corporate projects for institutions like American Express and JP Morgan Chase, Rosen's true passion remains frozen in time through his striking imagery, a legacy first formally compiled in his acclaimed earlier book, "Blues Hands" (2013), which focused on the powerful, expressive hands of iconic blues musicians. 

(Joseph A. Rosen / Photo © by Laura Carbone)

This lifelong devotion is further elevated in his latest photo book, "Inside the Moment: Iconic Blues, Soul, Jazz, Rock, and R&B Images and History" (2025, Schiffer Publishing). Serving as a definitive masterwork, his new book brings to light a 45-plus-year body of largely unseen, powerful photographs, accompanied by his own intimate historical context and first-person anecdotes, offering an immersive journey through the golden history of American musical traditions. Further cementing his legacy as a master music photographer, Joseph A. Rosen’s ‘Inside the Moment', captured the top spot in the Living Blues Readers' Poll, earning the title as the Best Blues Book.

Interview by Michael Limnios

Photos by © Joseph A. Rosen / All Rights Reserved 

How has the photo art and music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your life the most?

My views of the world are influenced by a lot more that music and art. That said, music and “photo art” have been a major factor in my world view. With all the less than wonderful things that happen in life and the world the joy that music brings is a blessing to us all. And the ability to express that feeling in a photograph and transmit it to the viewer is also a blessing. I talk about this in the introduction to my new book INSIDE THE MOMENT. There is a moment, a slice of time, when the artist, the audience, the energy, the music are all in synch. If I am able to see, feel, sense and capture that moment I have succeeded. I have gotten INSIDE THE MOMENT. These are the moments that have changed my life.

What is the driving force behind your continuous support for your art? What do you love most about the act/art of photography?

I am a full time photographer and always have been. It’s in my DNA. I could NOT not photograph. As for my music photography, I am a fan first, who happens to be a professional photographer and it is only natural to make photographs. I don’t always shoot every show like I am on a major assignment, but I usually have camera of some sort to make a story telling photo or two to share. I also do other types of photography; portraiture, documentary, fine art and more. While I do get paying music and fine art work, it is commercial and corporate work that pays the billsand keeps the lights on. I feel I have a good balance between both the artand the craft aspects of photography.  Examples of the variety of my work can be seen at www.josepharosen.com.

 What's the balance in photo art between technique and emotions? What do you think is key for a good image/shot?

Again, I am a working photographer and I bring that to the party technically as well as having the “people skills” that are required to make a career of it. I’ve always said that you need to know enough technique to forget it. For the kinds of photography I do, there has to be first SEEING and a spontaneity and not thinking too much about the technical stuff. You need to know how to render what you see and feel. I shoot pretty much reflexively. The key to a good photograph for me is when it all comes together and clearly conveys the content to the viewer.

“My views of the world are influenced by a lot more that music and art. That said, music and “photo art” have been a major factor in my world view. With all the less than wonderful things that happen in life and the world the joy that music brings is a blessing to us all. And the ability to express that feeling in a photograph and transmit it to the viewer is also a blessing. I talk about this in the introduction to my new book INSIDE THE MOMENT.” (John Lee Hooker on the cover of Inside The Moment & Stanley Dural, Jr. aka Buckwheat Zydeco / Photos by © Joseph A. Rosen)

Currently you’ve one more book titled INSIDE THE MOMENT. What´s been the highlights in your career? 

Having INSIDE THE MOMENT published and seen by a wide audience is definitely a highlight. I tell people that it was either 4 years or 50 years in the making, depending how you look at it (the oldest photos in the book are from the mid ‘70’s.) I’m very pleased and proud of how it turned out. I have to add that I’m equally happy about how the book READS. I engaged noted writers and authors for the 8 chapter headings and 3 introductions and everyone did a stellar job. I also wrote biographical and anecdotal notes on the artists and photos with my colleague and editor Gary Hill.

Another highlight of my career has been the people it has brought me in contact with. I used to joke that my (old) web site is the only place you will see Ike Turner, Donald Trump and the Dalai Lama right next to each other. More seriously, I became friends with, and in subtle ways was mentored by, folks like Herman Leonard, the dean of the Jazz photographers to whom the book is dedicated, Doc Pomus, the famous songwriter and my Creole pals, Stanley Dural, Jr. aka Buckwheat Zydeco, and bassist Lee Allen Zeno. These friendships among many, many others have been highlights.

Are there any specific memories of book’s images that you would like to tell us about?!

I get asked often if there is a favorite photo of mine. The answer is no. That said, there are a few that stand out. The photos I took of Muddy Waters in 1976 were the beginning of my Blues photography adventure and will always be special to me. The photo of John Lee Hooker on the cover of INSIDE THE MOMNENT was a happy accident. A darkroom mistake made the film wildly over developed and most of it was useless, but one or two frames came out with this ultra-high contrast look. The photograph has become a “signature piece.” The photo on the back cover of Dizzy Gillespie was taken at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The lighting was strong, but flat. Then for some reason, the lights on one side of the stage blinked off and before they came back on I was able to get a few very dramatic frames. There are soooo many stories and they are told in the notes at the back of the book. You’ll have get a copy to read them all!!

“Well, I want them to “get the joke.” I want them to see what made me want to take the photograph, to feel the energy and emotion the artist is projecting, to communicate to them visually what was going on INSIDE THE MOMENT. In my more fine art, painterly work I want to affect them with the beauty and joy of seeing.” (Dizzy Gillespie / Photo by © Joseph A. Rosen)

What keeps a photographer passionate after five decades in photo art? What do you miss most nowadays from the music and musicians of the past?

As I say in my introduction to the book, I am a fan first, who happens to be a professional photographer. You have to love what you do. I love the music and I love photography. The rest was easy!!

I also say in the introduction that getting older is one thing, but I am very glad I came of age in an era when the artists whose music I love were active, vital and accessible. I got to see and photograph many ofthese men and women who defined the genres and possessed their full powers. Sometimes I miss the emotion that these artists were able to convey without being fast, flashy or loud, just by being themselves.

What is the impact of Photography/Music on the socio-cultural implications? 

I’m going to leave that to the sociologists, anthropologists and a whole bunch of other “ologists.” I am a photographer, not a social scientist.

How do you want your photo work to affect people?

Well, I want them to “get the joke.” I want them to see what made me want to take the photograph, to feel the energy and emotion the artist is projecting, to communicate to them visually what was going on INSIDE THE MOMENT. In my more fine art, painterly work I want to affect them with the beauty and joy of seeing.

What is the strangest desire that someone have requested? 

I don’t get many requests. When I’m shooting a performer, they most likely do not know they are being photographed. They are doing their thing and I’m doing mine. I take a good bit of pride in being unobtrusive, both to the artist and the audience. Sometimes when an artist sees a photo that I have taken and they say “I didn’t know you were at that show” I know I did my job well. In the studio when doing a portrait, I try to establish a rapport as two people or a group working together. That’s where the “people skills” I mentioned earlier come in.

One somewhat strange, but not difficult, moment was during Ike Turner’s final run. I did a portrait of him on the Legendary R&B Cruise for the cover of Blues Revue Magazine. I don’t remember what prompted it, but at a breakfast meeting preparing for the photo session, as simply as you might say, “I’d like my eggs over easy,” he said, “Prison saved my life. I got clean and I made peace with my God.”  What do you say?? Please pass the salt?? I was kind of stunned, but in that moment, at least, I believed him. He was direct, complex, fascinating to talk with, and generous to me. 

“It’s all about the humanity. There are emotions and spirit in music that all people feel at some point in their lives. I’ve learned that it’s when we make that connection, we share our humanity. I hope that thephotographs in INSIDE THE MOMENT help people make that connection.” (Pops Staples, Irma Thomas, Big Mama Thornton, Ike Turner, Lightnin’ Hopkins / Photo by © Joseph A. Rosen)

Who was the most photogenic and difficult artist?

I’ve had very little difficulty with artists. I pretty much only shoot where I’m welcome. In the circles I travel in I have established a level of trust and acceptance. Most are fine with being photographed, especially if you do it respectfully. It’s part of the business. I try to make honest and respectful photographs and I don’t show unflattering photos. Rarely, if someone has an attitude, I get my frames and move on.

There are so many photogenic artists. Irma Thomas comes to mind. She is beautiful and projects a personal warmth. Pops Staples was just so open, friendly and glowing. I felt I was lucky to breathe some of the same air as he did. I could go on and on, there are so many good lookingfolks, and they are performers so they know how to present themselves. There are over 150 photographs in INSIDE THE MOMENT. That’s where you can see and decide who is most photogenic!!

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience as music photographer? 

It’s all about the humanity. There are emotions and spirit in music that all people feel at some point in their lives. I’ve learned that it’s when we make that connection, we share our humanity. I hope that thephotographs in INSIDE THE MOMENT help people make that connection.

Why is it important that we preserve and spread the blues?

I’m going to leave that to someone far wiser than I:

“The blues are the roots and the other musics are the fruits. It’s better keeping the roots alive, because it means better fruits from now on. The blues are the roots of all American music. As long as American music survives, so will the blues.”

WILLIE DIXON

Joseph A. Rosen - Home

(Willie Dixon & Muddy Waters / Photos by © Joseph A. Rosen / All Rights Reserved)