Longtime Virginian-Pilot freelance photographer dies after fall from parking garage

There were many things in life that Jason Hirschfeld was passionate about.

His photography, sports, friends and family were among those he was most fervent about. Especially his two children.

On Saturday, the award-winning photojournalist who’d worked as a freelancer for The Virginian-Pilot and multiple other news organizations for more than two decades, died after a fall from the top of a downtown Norfolk parking garage. He was 48.

Hirschfeld grew up in Portsmouth and returned to the area in the early 2000s, according to his photography website. His photos were published mostly by The Pilot and the Associated Press, but also appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and ESPN.

“He was such a positive person about everything in his life. His work, his family, everything,” Pilot sports editor Jami Frankenberry said. “He’s really going to be missed.”

A preliminary police investigation determined Hirschfeld was taking pictures on the eighth level of a garage adjacent to the Bank of America Building on Waterside Drive when he fell, Norfolk police spokesman Will Pickering said in a statement to The Pilot. His cause and manner of death hasn’t yet been determined by the medical examiner, Pickering said, but no foul play is suspected.

Police received a report shortly after midnight Saturday about a death near the garage, Pickering said. Medics pronounced Hirschfeld dead at the scene.

Hirschfeld was not on assignment for The Pilot Friday night, but about four hours before he was found, he sent three photos to the newspaper. The photos captured sunset scenes of downtown Norfolk and the view of Portsmouth from across the Elizabeth River. All three appeared as if they’d been taken from a high vantage point, like the parking garage with a mural of whales painted on one side from which he fell.

Longtime colleagues at The Pilot described Hirschfeld as a boisterous, witty and commanding presence with a sharp eye and a passion for his work.

“He had a loud laugh and he definitely had a big personality,” Frankenberry said. “He just exuded positivity and enthusiasm.”

Hirschfeld photographed all kinds of sporting events for The Pilot — at local colleges and high schools, as well as professional events like Tides baseball and Admirals hockey games.

“He was one of the best sports photographers in the area,” Pilot photo editor Todd Spencer said. “He was a great storyteller with his sports photography. You can have great photos, but without a great story, it doesn’t matter. He always had both.”

Hirschfeld put everything he had into his work, colleagues said, and it showed in his photos.

1 of 26

ODU head basketball coach Blaine Taylor celebrates by cutting down the net after the Monarchs beat VCU 73-70 to claim the CAA regular season championship Feb. 27, 2010, at the Ted Constant Center in Norfolk. (JASON HIRSCHFELD/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT)

“No matter what the assignment was that day, he was passionate about it,” Frankenberry said. “He always wanted to do a good job and he was really proud of his work.”

While much of Hirschfeld’s photography centered on sports, his website includes photos of every former president dating back to George H.W. Bush.

In 2016, shortly after the death of Muhammad Ali, Hirschfeld wrote a story for The Pilot about his family’s close relationship with the legendary boxer. His father, Richard Hirschfeld, had served as Ali’s attorney, agent and close confidant for nearly three decades.

Longtime Pilot photographer Stephen Katz, a close friend of Hirschfeld’s, said he repeatedly begged Hirschfeld over the years to get an autograph from Ali for him.

It wasn’t until shortly after the birth of Katz’s son, Sawyer, in 2012 that his friend came through for him. Hirschfeld presented Katz with a poster-sized photo of Ali that was identical to one Katz kept at his desk at work. In the corner, was a message dedicated to Sawyer that Ali had written with several bees drawn next to it — a reference to his famous quote about how he could “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” when he boxed.

“He was so insanely thoughtful that way,” Katz said of Hirschfeld. When Katz was hospitalized for open heart surgery, Hirschfeld visited many times, just as so many others had done for Hirschfeld when he suffered a massive heart attack in late 2017 that almost ended his life.

Hirschfeld especially enjoyed working with young photographers and serving as a mentor to them, Katz said.

“He felt strongly about teaching photography,” Katz said. “He was very engaged with the interns, freelancers and new people, and it was very well received.”

Among Hirschfeld’s survivors are his wife of 22 years, Michelle, daughter Caylee and son Ethan. A graveside funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Granby Street in Norfolk.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com