George DuBose
The Music Photo Gallery · Represented Photographer
50+ Works ·1980–Present

George DuBose

B. American Music Photographer | Ramones, Punk Rock & New York Music Scene ·1980–Present
George DuBose
Portrait of the photographer
Biography

George DuBose was born in Rabat, Morocco, to a U.S. Marine major and his 19-year-old wife. At just two months old, George returned to the United States with his mother and began a childhood marked by frequent relocations. He rarely attended the same school for more than two years.

Constantly moving across the country exposed him to a wide range of cultures, communities, and lifestyles throughout the United States, shaping the curiosity and adaptability that would later influence his work as a photographer.

Growing up with a transistor radio under his pillow, George developed an early passion for popular music. When The Beatles arrived in America in 1964, his interest deepened, and he began studying guitar. A few years later, he joined a neighborhood cover band and became increasingly immersed in the world of rock and roll.

At the same time, George developed a strong interest in visual art. His maternal grandmother was a professional illustrator, and he greatly enjoyed his high school and college art classes. Although he admired drawing and painting, he soon realized that photography offered a more immediate and realistic way to express the world as he saw it.

Inspired by realism and documentary imagery, DuBose eventually combined his passions for music and photography, creating a body of work that would become closely associated with the history of punk rock and the visual legacy of the Ramones.

Today, George DuBose is recognized as one of the most important photographers of the American punk era, celebrated for his iconic album covers, portraits, and behind-the-scenes photographs that captured the spirit of New York's underground music scene.

In the artist's
own words
"The best photographs often happen when something unexpected goes wrong."
George DuBose
Publications

Books

Monographs, catalogues and photography books from the archive.

I Speak Music

I Speak Music

George DuBose
George S.W. DuBose Publishing · 2013

I Speak Music is a photographic celebration of the Ramones and the people who surrounded them during the final decades of their career. Drawing from his extensive archive as the band's longtime official photographer, George DuBose presents a collection of iconic and previously unpublished images, accompanied by personal recollections and behind-the-scenes stories. More than a photo book, it is an intimate portrait of one of the most influential bands in rock history and the enduring friendships that shaped their legacy.

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Madonna...Raw: A Very Early Concert

Madonna...Raw: A Very Early Concert

George DuBose
KMW Studio · 2015

Madonna...Raw: A Very Early Concert presents every photograph George DuBose made during a rare Madonna performance in October 1981, long before international fame transformed her into a global icon. Originally revisited at the request of the editor of the Encyclopedia Madonnica, the project led DuBose to rescan four rolls of black-and-white film, revealing forgotten moments and remarkable images from a pivotal period in Madonna's early career. Accompanied by personal recollections and an interview with guitarist Dan Gilroy, the book offers an intimate portrait of the artist before recording contracts, hit singles, and the carefully constructed image that would later define her career.

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My Best Shot: An Overview of the Photography Career of George DuBose

My Best Shot: An Overview of the Photography Career of George DuBose

George DuBose
DuBose Publishing · 2018

My Best Shot presents a retrospective survey of George DuBose's distinguished career photographing musicians and cultural icons. Featuring his favorite image of each artist, the book includes photographs of the Ramones, Blondie, The B-52s, The Notorious B.I.G., and many others, accompanied by personal stories, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and reflections from one of the most influential photographers of the punk era.

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NY NIGHTLIFE: Photos of the stars at night in Max’s Kansas City, The Mudd College of Deviant Behavior, Studio 54, CBGBs, Area and other places where I forget I was.

NY NIGHTLIFE: Photos of the stars at night in Max’s Kansas City, The Mudd College of Deviant Behavior, Studio 54, CBGBs, Area and other places where I forget I was.

George DuBose
Mudd Club Books · 2026

NY NIGHTLIFE presents a remarkable collection of previously unpublished photographs taken by George DuBose throughout New York City's legendary nightlife scene between 1978 and 1983. Captured after long days working as a photographer's apprentice, these images document the vibrant cultural landscape of Max's Kansas City, The Mudd Club, Studio 54, CBGB, Area, and countless other venues that defined downtown New York before the AIDS crisis transformed the city forever. Featuring musicians, artists, performers, friends, and nightlife personalities, the book offers an intimate and personal portrait of one of the most creative periods in New York cultural history.

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Selected Press

In the press.

El Pais

George DuBose, el quinto Ramone

George DuBose, the Ramones' longtime photographer, presents a selection of images that document the band's history and visual legacy, offering a unique perspective on one of punk rock's most influential groups.

El Pais

Así nació el mito de Madonna

A major exhibition in Málaga brings together the early photographs of Madonna by Deborah Feingold, Peter Cunningham, and George DuBose, revealing the artist before international fame transformed her into a global icon.

El Mundo

Viaje a los orígenes de Madonna

The Centro de Cultura Contemporánea de Málaga presents El nacimiento de un mito, featuring iconic photographs by Deborah Feingold, Peter Cunningham, and George DuBose documenting Madonna's formative years.