William J. Claxton, 80; Made 'Jazz For the Eyes'

"That was a big family decision," Mr. Claxton told the Los Angeles Times. "And it worked out OK. The pictures were tasteful, I thought, Peggy looked great, and it was historically a breakthrough for women, that they could feel free enough to show the beauty of their breasts."

His 1967 film "Basic Black" showed Moffitt modeling Gernreich designs and is considered the first "fashion video." It is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

William James Claxton was born Oct. 12, 1927, in Pasadena, Calif., and grew up in an upper-middle-class family.

His mother sang semiprofessionally, and his older brother played boogie-woogie piano. But his own musical interests focused mainly on listening to his father's collection of big-band records.

He was attracted to photography and began taking pictures with a Brownie box camera after sneaking into jazz clubs. At 14, he was tall for his age and wore his father's suits to avoid awkward questions about showing an ID.

After graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles, he became a photographer and cover designer for West Coast record labels.

In 1949, he flew to New York to visit a girlfriend who was modeling for photographer Richard Avedon. Waiting for her at the studio, he noticed six Rolleiflex cameras lined up on a bench. After the session, he introduced himself to Avedon and happened to mention that he'd love to own a Rolleiflex someday. Avedon picked up one and gave it to him.

One of the first musicians he photographed with his new camera was Charlie Parker. After a late-night gig at a downtown Los Angeles club, Mr. Claxton invited the saxophonist and some of his young fans back to his parents' home for breakfast. He hastily improvised a studio in his bedroom and took pictures of Parker with his fans.

Although most closely identified with Los Angeles, Mr. Claxton also lived or worked in New York, London and Paris during a career that spanned almost 60 years. He published 13 books, and his work was shown in exhibitions around the world. In 2003, the International Photography Awards honored his music photography.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years and his son, Christopher, both of Los Angeles; and a sister.