This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival, an iconic event widely regarded as one of the most significant milestones in American counterculture. Richard F. Bellak, a photojournalist, has showcased over 100 never-before-seen photographs from this historic event, encapsulating a spirit of peace and community.
More than 100 of photojournalist Richard F. Bellak’s never-before-seen Woodstock photographs have been published ahead of the festival’s 50th anniversary. Scroll through to see more of Bellak’s images.Artist and professor John Kane purchased the negatives at an auction of the late photographer’s estate.This week marks 50 years since the festival, considered one of the most important events in the history of American counterculture.The festival saw hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers descend on a farm in Bethel, New York.Bellak was one of just a handful of “professional-level” photographers to have captured the event.“These photos are all about peace, kindness and the camaraderie that took place on August 15-17, 1969,” Bellak wrote of his pictures.The images show attendees hanging out, watching bands and preparing camps, while documenting the deterioration of the muddy site over the course of five days.Bellak’s photographs capture a more diverse crowd than is often associated with the festival.It’s estimated that around 400,000 people showed up to the festival.Bellak took a series of nighttime images, which were especially difficult to capture using cameras from the time.Although high-profile acts like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jefferson Airplane all played Woodstock, Bellak appears to have been more interested in the crowd.
