Family, Friends Remember Photographer Steve Starr

Popular photographer died of heart attack Monday

Family and friends of the late photographer Steve Starr are remembering a man who touched many lives.

Starr, a well-known figure on Chicago's social scene, passed away on Monday after collapsing on the sidewalk outside the Drake Hotel where he was lunching with friends. According to the coroner, the 65-year-old suffered from Arteriosclerotic coronary heart disease and died of a heart attack where resuscitation was not possible.

Starr, 65, worked as a freelance photographer and his work was seen in several publications around town.

"I think he overworked himself and just wanted everything to be perfect. He would send me a lot of stuff and ask me what I thought," Starr's sister, Adrienne Ingebrigtsen said.

"We were just working together at a lot of events and he just taught me so many things. He introduced me to so many people," fellow photographer Mila Samokhina said.

Starr was passionate about old Hollywood glamour celebrities, and recently published a book about Latin movie stars. He was also an expert on art deco and frequently wrote about both topics in the Chicago Art Deco Society magazine.

"The articles are just filled with his wit and his voice. Really fundamental information, but things you wouldn't know, and there was always a really funny turn of phrase in there that was so Steve Starr," said Keith Bringe of the Chicago Art Deco Society.

Starr was planning a photo exhibit on December 12th called "The Face of News," composed of photos of people in front of and behind the camera.

One of the hosts, Candace Jordan, says the show will go on as a celebration of his life.

"He was quite frankly one of the nicest people I've ever. He was obviously the hardest working guy in show business, at four events a day," Jordan said.

A private burial will be held for family only.

"My uncle Steve -- he truly was a star. He had such an artistic soul, always so creative. He was doing what he loved with the people that he loved and that loved him in the city that he loved," Starr's niece, Lori Zaitz, said.

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