The Legendary Sports Photography of Neil Leife
NEIL LEIFER’s photography career has spanned over 50 years since becoming a professional while still in his teens. Beginning in 1960, his pictures regularly appeared in every major national magazine, including the Saturday Evening Post, Look, LIFE, Newsweek, Time and, most often, Sports Illustrated.
Leifer eventually became a staff photographer for Sports Illustrated before leaving in 1978 to become a staffer for Time magazine. In 1988 he was made a contributing photographer at LIFE magazine and spent the next two years dividing his time between Time and LIFE. When Leifer left Time Inc. in 1990, his photographs had appeared on over 200 Sports Illustrated, Time, and People covers—at that point, the most ever published of one photographer’s work in Time Inc. history.
Ali – Williams (Overhead)
Aerial of Muhammad Ali victorious after his round three knockout of Cleveland Williams during the 1966 World Heavyweight Title fight at the Astrodome. Houston, Texas 11/14/1966Leifer has published 16 books, 9 of which have been collections of his sports photographs. Sports, his 1978 Abrams book, is considered by many to be the quintessential sports photography book. His two most recent, Ballet in the Dirt and Guts and Glory—both published by TASCHEN, showcase the very best of Leifer’s professional baseball and football photographs. In the fall of 2013, Sports Illustrated will publish a memoir of Neil Leifer’s remarkable career.
Leifer has traveled all over the world on sports assignments. He has photographed 16 Olympic Games (7 winter and 9 summer), 4 FIFA World Cups, 15 Kentucky Derbies, countless World Series games, the first 12 Super Bowls and every important heavyweight title fight since Floyd Patterson beat Ingemar Johansson to regain the title in 1960. He has photographed his favorite subject, Muhammad Ali, on almost 60 different occasions—covering his biggest fights and over 30 one-on-one studio sessions.
While Neil Leifer is now a full-time filmmaker, producer and director; there is a very good chance that you’ll spot him, camera in hand, at any big championship fight. “Boxing” says Leifer “is the one sport I still love shooting.”
Ventura County, California 8/1984
Orlando, Florida 1/12/1992
Los Angeles, California 8/6/1984
San Francisco, California 6/19/1966
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1974
Miami, Florida 1/14/1968
Louisville, Kentucky 3/25/1967
Elmont, New York 6/9/1973
Louisville, Kentucky 5/1/1965
Mexico City, Mexico 10/16/1968
Northridge, California 5/21/1992
The Bronx, New York 12/28/1958
The Bronx, New York 4/18/1977
Shanhaiguan, China 12/1983
Lewiston, Maine 5/25/1965
Japan 11/1983
Augusta, Georgia 4/10/1975
Honolulu, Hawaii 8/10/1965
Chicago, Illinois 11/20/1974
Miami Beach, Florida 2/25/1964
Baltimore, Maryland 12/13/1964
Nanyuki, Kenya 3/1/1984
Seoul, South Korea 9/1988
New York, New York 11/2/1998
Mexico City, Mexico 10/22/1968
Mexico City, Mexico 10/26/1968
The Bronx, New York 6/26/1959
Denver, Colorado 9/25/1966
San Diego, California 6/23/1992
Neil Leifer
http://neilleifer.com
Sergei Bubka, Pole Vault Gold Medalist
Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union pole vaults during the 1988 Summer Olympics at the Olympic Stadium.
Seoul, South Korea 9/29/1988
Olympic Rowing, Eight Oared Shell Final
Aerial of the Eight-Oared Shell Final during the rowing competition of the 1984 Summer Olympics on Lake Casitas.
Ventura County, California 8/1984
Kristi Yamaguchi
Portrait of USA figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi on the ice during a photo shoot.
Orlando, Florida 1/12/1992
Carl Lewis, Long Jump Gold Medalist
Team USA’s Carl Lewis leaps during the long jump cometition at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the LA Memorial Coliseum.
Los Angeles, California 8/6/1984
Arnold Palmer Hitting Out of Bunker
Arnold Palmer kicks up sand after hitting out of the bunker during Round 4 of the 1966 US Open at the Lake Course of The Olympic Club.
San Francisco, California 6/19/1966
Julius Erving
Philadelphia 76ers forward Julius Erving dunks against the Denver Nuggets at The Spectrum.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1974
Vince Lombardi
Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi gets carried off the field by Jerry Kramer (#64) after winning Super Bowl II versus the Oakland Raiders at Orange Bowl Stadium.
Miami, Florida 1/14/1968
Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
Aerial of UCLA center Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ) rebounding during the 1967 NCAA National Championship game versus Dayton at Freedom Hall.
Louisville, Kentucky 3/25/1967
Secretariat
Ron Turcotte winning the 1973 Belmont Stakes aboard Secretariat at Belmont Park.
Elmont, New York 6/9/1973
Overhead Shot of the 1965 Kentucky Derby
Overall view of the action out of the starting gate during the 1965 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Louisville, Kentucky 5/1/1965
Black Power Salute on Olympic Medal Stand
Tommie Smith and John Carlos of Team USA raise their fists for racial equality on the medal stand after winning the 200-meter gold during the 1968 Summer Olympics at Estadio Olimpico.
Mexico City, Mexico 10/16/1968
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Portrait of Jackie Joyner-Kersee of Team USA posing with a javelin.
Northridge, California 5/21/1992
Alan Ameche Scoring Winning Touchdown vs NY Giants in “Sudden Death” Overtime
Alan Ameche of the Baltimore Colts scores the game winning touchdown versus the New York Giants during sudden death overtime of the 1958 NFL Championship game at Yankee Stadium.
The Bronx, New York 12/28/1958
Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees taking a strike during game versus Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.
The Bronx, New York 4/18/1977
Zhou Qiurui on The Great Wall
Portrait of Chinese gymnast Zhou Qiurui leaping on the Great Wall of China.
Shanhaiguan, China 12/1983
Ali – Liston
Muhammad Ali reacts after his first round knockout of Sonny Liston during the 1965 World Heavyweight Title fight at St. Dominic’s Arena.
Lewiston, Maine 5/25/1965
Koji Gushiken at Mt. Fuji
Portrait of Japanese gymnast Koji Gushiken on rings in front of Mount Fuji.
Japan 11/1983
Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus walks onto the 16th green during Round 1 of the 1975 Masters Tournament at Augusta National GC.
Augusta, Georgia 4/10/1975
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson walks back to his corner during a light middleweight fight versus Stan Harrington at the International Center Arena.
Honolulu, Hawaii 8/10/1965
Ali in Tuxedo
Portrait of Muhammad Ali wearing tuxedo during his Sportsman of the Year photo shoot at the Playboy Studios.
Chicago, Illinois 11/20/1974
Clay vs Liston I
Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) throwing a punch against Sonny Liston during the World Heavyweight Title fight at the Miami Beach Convention Hall.
Miami Beach, Florida 2/25/1964
Washington Redskins Punting Out of End Zone vs Baltimore Colts
Pat Richter of the Washington Redskins punting to the Baltimore Colts at Memorial Stadium.
Baltimore, Maryland 12/13/1964
Kipkoech and Charles Cheruiyot
Portrait of Kenyan marathon runners Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Charles Cheruiyot alongside giraffes.
Nanyuki, Kenya 3/1/1984
Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis of Team USA dives during the 1988 Summer Olympics at the Jamsil Indoor Swimming Pool.
Seoul, South Korea 9/1988
Evander Holyfield Posing Prior to Lennox Lewis Fight
Portrait of Evander Holyfield flexing his muscles at Madison Square Garden.
New York, New York 11/2/1998
George Foreman Fighting in Olympics
George Foreman of the USA defeats Ion Alexe of Romania during the heavyweight quarterfinals fight of the 1968 Summer Olympics at Arena Mexico.
Mexico City, Mexico 10/22/1968
George Foreman with Flag
George Foreman celebrates his victory by waving a US flag after winning the heavyweight gold medal over Ionas Chepulis of the USSR during the 1968 Summer Olympics at Arena Mexico.
Mexico City, Mexico 10/26/1968
Floyd Patterson vs Ingemar Johansson
Overall view of Yankee Stadium while Ingemar Johansson and Floyd Patterson fight in the ring for the 1959 World Heavyweight Title.
The Bronx, New York 6/26/1959
Joe Namath on Phone
New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath talking on his headphone during an AFL game versus the Denver Broncos at Bears Stadium.
Denver, Colorado 9/25/1966
Michael Jordan
Portrait of Michael Jordan of Team USA posing with a ball during a photo shoot.
San Diego, California 6/23/1992
Neil Leifer
http://neilleifer.com
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