HELEN MARCUS is a well-known freelance photographer based in New York, specializing in portraiture, travel world-wide and annual reports. Her work appears in publications ranging from The New York Times to Food & Wine to American Express annual reports.

After many years as a TV associate producer with Goodson-Todman Productions, on such programs as “To Tell The Truth “, “What’s My Line”, and “Beat The Clock”, Ms. Marcus became seriously interested in photography and started working with clients in publishing.

Known for her strong portraits and evocative lighting, she has photographed many literary, film and television personalities including Anne Tyler, Norman Mailer, John Barth, Kitty Carlisle, Merv Griffin and Cliff Robertson. In addition she has photographed for many corporations including Verizon, Volvo, Clairol and Fortune. Her magazine clients have included Time, Travel and Leisure, Publishers Weekly, Gourmet and Forbes. Assignments have taken her around the globe to China, Japan, the Soviet Union, India, Egypt, Mexico and Europe.

“People are special to me – whether I photograph authors whose work I know, executives in the corporate boardroom, or people in the streets or countryside whom one see fleetingly.”

She sees places as an extension of the creativity of people, whether it’s the austere beauty of Shaker design, the elegant simplicity of Chinese architecture or the graciousness of the interiors of Monticello. Her work captures the spirit of these places.

Her photograph of author Toni Morrison was used for the etching on the Swedish Post Office stamp honoring Ms. Morrison as the Nobel Laureate in Literature in 1993.

She has juried work and selected photographs for exhibitions, awards, including: ASMP Awards, W. Eugene Smith Grant, Howard Chapnick Grant, Kodak Awards, Ilford Awards, PMA and PAI.

Ms. Marcus has had solo exhibitions at the Leica Gallery, NY;  The Century Association, NY; May Gallery, Webster University, St. Louis, MO; Asia Society, NY; the New York Pubic Library; Parents Magazine Gallery, NY; Washington College, Chestertown, MD; National Arts Club and the Overseas Press Club, NY. She has been adjunct professor at The New School, Parsons School of Design, NY; Tisch School of the Arts, NYU; School of Visual Arts, NY and taught at The Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport, ME. She has lectured internationally on portraiture and business practices. She studied portraiture with Philippe Halsman.

Her work is found in collections at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.; Portland Museum of Photography, Portland, ME; International Museum of Photography, George Eastman House, Rochester, NY; Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany and International Center of Photography, New York, as well as in private Collections.

She is currently president emerita of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, Inc; past president of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and founder of the New York Chapter of the ASMP.