Ali Dominates Retrospective on 30 Years in Pictures

When Muhammad Ali arrived in Watts to attend a photo exhibit, the usual mob of photographers huddled around him. But for once, they took pictures of his photographer: Howard Bingham.

“Look this way, Howard!” they shouted.

Bingham, for more then 30 years the personal photographer of “the Greatest,” was being honored at the premiere of his exhibition, “A 30-Year Journey.” The display of his pictures of Ali runs daily through Feb. 28 at the Watts Labor Community Action Committee Center, 10950 S. Central Ave. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I wanted the exhibition here because you only hear the negative about Watts, and there is a lot of positive going on,” said Bingham, who grew up in Compton and still lives in the area. “I have traveled around the world with Ali, but I have never lived north of Imperial Highway. People ask me ‘why?’ I tell them, ‘why not?’ ”

Although the exhibit includes photos of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and others, the Ali photos dominate the show. On the cover of the program is one of Bingham’s favorite shots: Ali with his infant daughter on his lap while the champ takes a swig from a baby bottle.

Ali said of the Sunday night premiere: “I loved it.”