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Chris Hondros, a dear friend and colleague to so many of
us, was killed in Misrata, Libya on April 20, 2011.
He was a
courageous, impassioned, talented photographer who was committed to his
profession—but also a kind, humble, and giving man with an entertaining and
wonderful humor.
In the early years of this century, he was the
sharpest dresser in a war zone. His fellow photographers covering a
conflict, dressed in dirty jeans and t-shirts, liked to tease him about his
famous tweed and corduroy jackets. It's a small but telling example of how
separate and unique he was when compared to the clichéd image of a war
photographer.
You could be a guest at one of his great parties, one
moment listening to him tell a funny story while he was mixing one of his
famous cocktails, then another moment discussing politics and world history,
with the all the earnestness of a diplomat. And if you hung around for long
and were lucky enough, he might treat you to a Brahms piano concerto. Of
course, he would always say that his playing was rusty, but that was him, as
always, being humble.
Chris leaves behind a tremendous photographic
legacy, but sadly and more importantly, he leaves behind so many who loved
him dearly -- his family, his fiancé, his friends, his colleagues. For all
of us, he will be sorely missed and forever remembered.
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