Of Bud & Maria

Maria Delvecchio was the best music teacher my daughter ever had; we met her about a year after moving to the suburbs outside New York. She was firm but sweet with the children, and she clearly loved music.

During the lessons I would sit in the “grown-up chair” in the piano room, catching up on a little work while my daughter received instruction. Occasionally Maria would say, “Bud has something he wants to talk with you about, you can find him in the back.”

Maria’s husband, Bud, was a veteran still-life photographer in his mid-80s. I’d noticed the framed pictures around the house but hadn’t realized they were his. Bud Endress was friendly, if a bit gruff—like a character from a ’50s noir film: street-smart, witty, and a master storyteller whose rambling tales always landed with humor and poignancy. 

I soon learned that he had a small core of young shooters who were his protégé’s, from the New York and New Jersey portions of his career. Along with his longtime friend Dan Gerdes, we did multiple sit downs, and got his full story in an epic Q&A.

Bud is smarter than he’d even admit, and he clearly was a master at navigating the world of photography and advertising; with incredible visual instincts and top-level problem solving. I hope that our interview gives some glimpse of this. 

More than anything, this project was a tribute to Maria. Since my daughter stopped lessons, Maria’s health has declined, and she’s now in hospice care. She may never see this article, but it’s my way of honoring her years of dedication to teaching music to children.

Top Image: Bud Endress, portrait by Chris Buck, Summer 2024, Beaver Lake, NJ.

Second Image: I made Bud sit on the floor for my picture, so I helped him get back up. BTS photo by Alex Franklin.

Third Image: Shooting the Eastern Airlines ad, work in progress moment.

Bottom Image: My daughter gets piano lesson from Bud’s wife Maria, 2019. Essex Fells, NJ.