Back in the early 2000s, few fine art photographers were as influential as Fernando Bengoechea, a handsome and charismatic Argentine whose bold black-and-white images were embraced by both art world cognoscenti and the glitterati and exhibited worldwide. His “Karma Tree” series—depicting the majestic, gnarled Joshua trees of Palm Springs’ high desert—were snapped up by A-List collectors including Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Tommy Hilfiger, Naomi Campbell, Ricky Martin and Gloria Estefan. In December 2004, Bengoechea’s life was cut tragically short when a devastating tsunami struck Sri Lanka, killing 225,000 people. The Buenos Aires-born lensman was on vacation with his partner, celebrity…
