Born in
Pasadena, California, Claxton's works included a book of photographs of
Steve McQueen, and
Jazzlife, a book of photographs depicting
jazz artists in the 1960s. He was best known for his photography of jazz musicians including
Chet Baker. Claxton also photographed
celebrities and models. In 1967, he created the film
Basic Black, a work that is credited as the first "fashion video" and is in the collection of the
Museum of Modern Art in New York. The music for the film, using a
Moog synthesizer, was composed by award-winning artist
David Lucas. He married model
Peggy Moffitt in 1960 and had one son, Christopher M. Claxton, born in 1973. Claxton died on October 11, 2008, of complications from
congestive heart failure, one day before his 81st birthday. ==Bibliography==