Thatcher Keats

Thatcher Keats is an American photographer, born August 8, 1965 in Hackensack, New Jersey. Keats attended the private, progressive Gill St. Bernard's School "an independent, nonsectarian, college preparatory day school". He began his career assisting photographers Larry Clark, Arthur Tress and Rosalind Solomon, and now lectures, teaches and is widely exhibited. His father was actor Steven Keats and Thatcher has also studied acting.

Thatcher Keats attended Hampshire College in 1982, alongside classmates Ken Burns, Charlie Clouser, musician, former member of Nine Inch Nails, and John Bechdel. He studied science and photography for a semester, culminating in a solo show in 1983. Keats shot movie stills in Los Angeles in 1983 and in 1984 began working as a commercial assistant for Anthony Edgeworth.

Keats spent the early 1980s as a performance photographer, shooting for the New Jersey State Opera in Newark, Mary Jane Eisenberg, Mabou Mines Theater Company, and for organizations such as Rock Against Racism. He photographed opera, theater and classical music while his later work is more social documentary, candid images.

In 1984 Keats contacted Larry Clark in an effort to acquire a copy of Clark's book Teenage Lust and subsequently Clark hired Keats to work with him, scouting locations and making prints for exhibition. Keats also assisted Clark with castings, placing ads in Backstage just prior to Clark's starting on Kids. In 1983 he also worked with Arthur Tress, assisting him on his Hospital series, For several years in the mid 1980s, he assisted Rosalind Solomon with film development and printing. He also helped Solomon with her gear as she photographed in Washington Square Park and photographed people with AIDS. Contrary to widespread rumors, Keats is not, in fact, a Doctor of Divinity, though some have suggested he has informal training in esoteric practices.

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