Diary Archives - Tony Ward

Muhammad Ali: A Close Encounter with The Greatest

photo of Muhammad Ali by Tony Ward in 1980 and signed by Ali as a gift to the photographer — Muhammad Ali. Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2025

A Close Encounters With The Greatest

When I started working full time in 1980 for Smithkline, the giant pharmaceutical company based in Philadelphia, I had no idea what kind of photographic opportunities would come my way. About 6 months into the job, I’ll never forget walking into my bosses office located at 1500 Spring Garden Street to receive my assignment for June of that year. I was nearly floored when I was assigned to take documentary photographs of Muhammad Ali during his visit to Philadelphia.

Muhammad Ali in a rare photo wearing a mustache and playing chop sticks on the piano. — Chopsticks. Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 1980.

Ali was in town to promote the last fight of his career which was with Larry Holmes. The fight took place four months later in Las Vegas at Caesar’s Palace on October 2, 1980. Unfortunately, Ali lost the bout by a technical knockout in the 10th round. This fight marked the end of Ali’s legendary boxing career, as he retired shortly thereafter. Holmes (another legend in the annals of boxing history) like many people around the world loved Muhammad Ali as he was a former sparring partner. Realizing his skills as a fighter were greatly diminished he waved and pleaded with the referee to stop the fight knowing Ali had nothing left in the tank after the 9th round.

Muhammad Ali shows warmth toward a old woman in a wheelchair. — Muhammad Ali. Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 1980.

These photographs were taken at the Philadelphia Zoo. I captured him as he was leaving a press conference while he was on his way out to a waiting limousine with his entourage. He noticed a piano on his way and paused to play his rendition of Chopsticks. It was a humorous moment sealed within these photographic memories. When I turned the photographs in at the public relations department the next day, a senior PR official liked the pictures so much that Ali was contacted at his hotel room and asked him to sign them for me. And so he did on June 30th 1980.

Venice, California: The Iconic Binoculars Building on Main Street

The Binoculars Building

Back in the early 1990’s I was working regularly with Art Directors that were employed by Advertising Agencies. The bigger the agency the larger the potential project for a freelance photographer. Chiat Day was one of those agencies that had cachet and every photographer in the world wanted to work with them. I had the good fortune of being summoned to the New York division of Chiat Day to be offered a peachy national ad campaign in the early 1990’s and very quickly got to know the location of the LA office.

The building at 340 Main Street in Venice, California, famously adorned with a massive sculpture of binoculars at its entrance, is an architectural and cultural landmark. Known as the “Binoculars Building,” it was designed by the legendary architect Frank Gehry in collaboration with Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, who created the distinctive binoculars sculpture. Completed in 1991, this striking structure is a testament to Gehry’s imaginative and unconventional approach to architecture.

Initially commissioned by advertising agency Chiat/Day as their headquarters, the Binoculars Building was intended to symbolize the company’s creative spirit and forward-thinking philosophy. The binoculars, which double as a functional entrance to the building, immediately capture attention, blending art with architecture in a way that feels distinctly Californian.

The building itself is a blend of Gehry’s signature deconstructivist style and practical office space design. It consists of three main sections: the binoculars in the center, flanked by two asymmetrical structures with undulating forms and sharp angles. These elements create a dynamic composition that reflects Venice’s eclectic and artistic vibe.

Over the years, the building has transitioned to serve new tenants. In 2011, Google leased the space as part of its Southern California campus, further solidifying the site’s association with innovation and creativity. Today, it stands as a hub for tech and creative professionals, while continuing to attract admirers of its architectural and artistic significance.

The binoculars sculpture itself is more than a decorative feature; it houses a conference room and other interior spaces, showcasing the functional integration of art and architecture. This fusion makes the building an enduring symbol of Venice’s cultural identity, where art, innovation, and community intersect.

As one of Frank Gehry’s most playful works, the Binoculars Building remains a must-see destination in Venice, drawing visitors from around the world who are eager to experience its unique blend of creativity and functionality.

Recently during a trip to LA it just so happened that I stayed in an Airbnb just down the street from Chiat Day’s former office. I was riding along on a bicycle scouting backdrops for a shoot when I came across memory lane. I must have been in and out of that building multiple times during that time period. It was great to see that old memory come alive!

Patrick McDougall: Behind The Scenes

Behind The Scenes

The email seemed rather innocuous at first. Yet another person from social media making a query about having me take pictures of them on commission. Most of the time, things don’t pan out for one reason or another, but in this case it did.

Patrick McDougall is chief executive officer of a company he formed 25 years ago that specializes in mass transportation based in London. So why did I hear from a person on Instagram by the name of Alice? That is what piqued my interest about the assignment. Was Alice really a she? Or a he/she?

It’s complicated. The commission involved making portraits of not just one, but three separate personalities contained in one human being . To perform the task of satisfying the clients request, I assembled a great team of creatives who were able to satisfy Patrick McDougall’s wildest dreams.

Patrick arrived in Philadelphia on Friday, September 15, 2023 after a week long business trip to New York City. This would be his first visit to Philly and perhaps not the last since he reported having such a great time during his stay. My creative director, KVaughn and I met with our new client on the eve of the commission in the Gayborhood where he preferred to stay. The question was would we be meeting up with Patrick or Alice? KV and I discussed the matter on the way to meet the subject for an early dinner at Sampan. I was sure it would be Alice, because she seemed to be the most domineering of characters. Sure enough I was right. In a dimly lit street off of Locust walking towards the hotel, I noticed a very tall person with long blond hair, a pink sweater and nothing much else. We first met Alice for sure!

Yet there was a third persona to be revealed during the shoot that was to follow on Saturday. That was Lyra, the alter ego of the more sexually subdued Alice. Lyra was the raging sex queen. All of these challenges of photographing multiple personalities were met during one of the most complex commissions I’ve yet to receive.

Thanks to the crew: KVaughn (creative director) , Anthony Colagreco (lighting assistant, Miss Joy (dominatrix), Ernest Thomas (BTS: stills and video), Octavia Monroe (hair and makeup), for making this amazing shoot possible.

Portrait of famous famous photographic artist Tony Ward with his crew at his studio in Elkins Park, Pa. — The Crew. Photo: Ernest Thomas, Copyright 2023

A Chance Meeting With Joe and Hunter Biden

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A Chance Meeting With Joe and Hunter Biden

In 1997, I was assigned by Eliot Kaplan, then editor in chief of Philadelphia Magazine to create a series of photographs centered around the life and times of George Alexis Weymouth, better known as Frolich Weymouth for a series of articles that were to be published between the years 1997 -1998 in Philadelphia’s regional publication. Mr. Weymouth was an American artist, whip or stager, philanthropist and conservationist who lived on a sprawling estate called Big Bend in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Big Bend was just a short carriage ride to visit his long time friends; Andrew and Jamie Wyeth, who lived nearby on an equally impressive estate. Mr. Weymouth grew accustomed to seeing me at various events in the region, including the Devon Horse Show, Winterthur’s annual Point-to-Point steeplechase races and lavish private parties hosted by Mr. Weymouth at his historic homestead. I was often invited by Mr. Weymouth himself to photograph and mingle with many of his longtime friends. Jamie Wyeth’s wife Phyllis Wyeth, a close friend of Frolich’s, also came to know of my omnipresence in the region after she saw a portrait of her husband published in Philadelphia Magazine posing on a plastic horse with two female mannequins.

One day while on assignment photographing Jamie on his estate, a friend of mine (liason to the elites) suggested we go to Wilmington to visit a friend of his after the shoot with Jamie. The friend turned out to be Hunter Biden. Hunter had just bought his first home and my friend wanted to see it. We arrived at a fairly large single family colonial with a large pool table set up in what appeared to be the living room. We walked around the house and heard Hunter call us into the kitchen for a beer. After just a short time, Hunter’s phone rings. It was his dad, the senator checking in like he usually did when he arrived home from D.C. by train. They made small talk. Hunter hung up the phone and then around 15 minutes later Joe Biden came in to join us. We shook hands. He had a firm grip and a curiosity about who Hunter was with. Meeting Joe Biden impromptu like that left a positive impression of the man who would later become President.

Justine Bakker: Alone

Alone

My journey is coming to an end, one more week to go.

I spent almost my entire journey in silence

and spent time alone in nature.

Taking a deep dive in, I needed that.

And I have received.

And now, now enough is enough.

I feel physically alone.

I long for people I trust around me.

I need some fun and laughter

I’m craving for touch, hugs

I long for mirrors, others to show me who I am now.

I’m homesick and that’s more than just connection to myself.

It is also connection to the world around me.

Besides longing, I also feel fear

Afraid of the crowd,

the many stimulus, the “main” matters,

The western rush and the pursuit..

The grey sky and leafless trees…

My body blocks when I let myself go into those thoughts.

Panic; Can I handle that yet? How?

I know: fear is a bad advisor

Spring is coming, that’s for sure.

I’m busy with life and death a lot,

bonded inseparable.

My life our life life on earth with earth

Our human life that can be so short (or long).

Already predetermined.

Death that is no longer scary, sometimes even a wish,

a way out.

I read about near death experiences in which

death is described as homecoming.

Our soul ‘lives’ before and after earthly life,

The soul remains and so I feel Mats very close, with me.

This faith gets me through the lack,

keeps me going.

Existential questions guide my days here.

What do I have left to live for?

What do I have to give, to share…?

I identify as a survivor, a warrior.

I have the willingness to face the reality.

I want to live, learn and be useful, matter.

I don’t have full answers to my life path

One direction and that’s enough for now.

Answers will come when the time is right.

I plant some seeds that I take care of,

cherish and protect .

I’m reaping the fruits, no rush,

patience, open up, trust,

one step at a time

Those kinds of mantras…

I am deeply grateful for this journey alone.

I have to go through this, want to see everything, feel it

I have learned to connect with my nature,

with my wishes and limits.

And with the immense earthly beauty

and fertility of all around me.

Now I long for home, to connect with you.

About The Author: Justine Bakker is an established fashion model, art director, set dresser and stylist based in the Netherlands. To access additional articles by Justine Bakker, click here: https://tonyward.com/justine-bakker-remembering-mats/