Photographer dies

Joel will be missed greatly, he made great memories for my son's father in those woods and now to my son also. they will never forget you and the times they shared with you.

Rest In Peace, Joel Librizzi. You were an amazing man, and I will remember those hikes as a child. My thoughts and prayers are with the Librizzi Family.

Joel will be missed.

When I worked at the Eagle in the late 1970s, Joel and I became friends. He took my engagement photo and many others of me for use in the paper. He was a wonderful guy and when I married my husband John, also a photographer, Joel and he became friends too. Unfortunately we lost touch over the past several years and I'm sad to say that I missed him even before learning that he has passed away. He was a funny and terrific person. I wish the eagle could create a book or portfolio of all of his pictures.

Thanks for the memories Joel, I still have the picture he took of me and my Pittsfield Sporting Goods co-worker carrying naked display mannequins down North Street from the Besse Clark Department Store. Made the front page! It has given me years of smiles, he will be missed.

I grew up around the corner from the Librizzis. I remember Joel and the family fondly. No matter who you came in contact with they always recognized who you were. I always enjoyed the pictures of Joels and his dads. They are warmly remembered in my heart and mind.

When I worked for WBRK back in the '60s and did the "Pop Korn Kid's Art TV Show",
I often criss-crossed paths with Joel. Our conversation usually opened with my question, "Joel, how's your Dad". His Dad was a reporter retired.
Joel would always smile answering with that tilt of the head, "Better!".

The early Eagle photographers captured History and Activities for the archives.
Joel's contribution is among the finest.

However my funniest photgraher moment was the day at Holiday Farm when Ben Garver showed up. My little dog,"Becky" was swimming in the big pond. Ben watched the pup swimming around and asked if he could take her picture. He went back to the car,returning in his briefs and putting on water goggles,
carrying his new water-proof camera.
Ben slid into the cold brook water and moved toward our dog.He Looked like a child of the creature of the black lagoon.
Ben got ready to shoot when the dog's eyes almost popped out of her head and she retreated barking toward shore at top paddling speed.
No way could Ben get his photo that day.
We all ,except Becky, were disappointed.

It must be the creative process, for all the Berkshire (Evening) Eagle photogs were a bit "different" for they saw the Berkshires in a way most of us didn't, till we saw the proof.

Bob Bunt Burke

Joel, you will be missed by me and the many other people who's lives you touched. Growing up you taught and gave me a love of photography. The woodsmanship skills with a compass and topo map treking as the crow flew. Our many foray's cutting, hauling, stacking the winter's firewood and of course the Saturday lunch rituals with RayLib as MC, filling us with his Kerouacian stories and laughss. God Speed my Friend

Joel, you will be missed by me and the many other people who's lives you touched. Growing up you taught and gave me a love of photography. The woodsmanship skills with a compass and topo map treking as the crow flew. Our many foray's cutting, hauling, stacking the winter's firewood and of course the Saturday lunch rituals with RayLib as MC, filling us with his Kerouacian stories and laughs. Finally, thank you for the greatest gift of all, My Sister and Brother. God Speed my Friend

When I was first bitten by the photography bug, and although I didn't know him, I called Joel for some advice. I asked him how to become a successful photographer. His simple answer was "Get published."
Through the years I continued to meet Joel on various assignments. He would always greet me with a sly smile and say "I see your still getting published."

For your advice and friendship I remain forever grateful.

Thank you Joel!

Paul Clermont, Adams,MA

Joel was wonderful and impossible, fussy and brilliant, and never too far removed from his most vulnerable "assignments."

One year, on the first day of school, we did a story about homeless school children living in a Pittsfield family shelter. We interviewed a young, round, awkward, middle school homeless boy, who refused to go school, because he was embarrased that he did not have new shoes.

Joel went about his business, taking wonderful
photos. Then he went up to Jim's House of Shoes on North Street, and bought a fine pair of blazing white sneakers for the boy. This was Joel, a man with a huge and quiet heart, who never sought a moment's glory for showing the world to the rest of the world, and for his small and real acts of goodness, most of which went unnoticed by the world, as Joel would have preferred.

And yet I never walked into a story scenario or an interview with him that he did not look around adn say, "This won't work. The light's terrible. There's no way we can do this. I'll have to come back."

But Joel's pictures were perfect. He never had to go back.

Complete professional, he will be missed and has been for some time. He will be remembered as a Berkshire icon at the very least.

Thanks for the memories. A person who was so real with emotions, spirit and friendships. Thanks for my first cover picture in the eagle. The Greek population are truly going to miss you. God Bless May your memory be eternal.

I remember many of Joel's photographs and always thought they were great. Photography is a major part of my life and I wish that I had a chance to learn from him.

How ironic that I grew up in Pittsfield and now live in Ohio where Joel attended The Ohio State University.

My condolences to his family.

I loved working with Joel in the 1980s.

One shot I've never forgotten was of a vine growing around a parking meter on Eagle Street. It ran small inside the Local section. But the way he captured that little vine made it look like a graceful Greek statue. His eye and talent elevated something trivial into a work of brilliance.

He loved to talk about his orienteering hobby and time in the woods. Once he got a perfect spring picture of eight or nine or ten turtles sunning themselves on a single log. He talked about how many times he had crept back through the brush to that same spot over a period of weeks until he managed to sneak up on all those turtles without a single one detecting him and getting spooked. He was so thrilled in his self-effacing way with capturing that shot.