Photography News

November 14, 2012 /Photography News/ Associated Press photographer Walt Zeboski, most famous for covering Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign and a succession of California governors, has died  Monday at his home in Sacramento after battling pneumonia. He was 83. His death was confirmed yesterday to the AP by his wife, Virginia Zeboski.

Zeboski became a permanent employee of the AP in 1966 but his photojournalism career spanned more than three decades. He covered four California governors, including Pat Brown, Ronald Reagan, Jerry Brown and George Deukmejian, as well as many other political power players in the state Legislature. Zeboski also snapped iconic images of the era, including labor leader Cesar Chavez, armed members of the Black Panther Party, U.S. Sen. George McGovern, and Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, the infamous Charles Manson disciple who tried to assassinate President Gerald Ford during a stop in Sacramento. He also captured Queen Elizabeth II's 1983 visit to Yosemite National Park and the first disabled climber to scale El Capitan.

Zeboski retired from the AP in the late 1980s following a stroke but remained active until shortly before his death.

In addition to his wife, Walt Zeboski is survived by his son, Jan, and seven grandchildren. The family is planning a private memorial service at their home on Saturday.