Bill Dobbins: Bodybuilding Photography Icon: 1943- 2025 – RIP My Friend.
by Wayne Gallasch
I just heard that my friend Bill Dobbins died on Saturday, 27th December. Bill was a long-time bodybuilding photographer and writer of many articles and producer of numerous books. In the early 2000s I had the privilege of staying for a few days with Bill and his much-loved cats. His house was also his studio. He had so many stories to share and great photography to show me, it was an unforgettable experience. From those meetings we worked out a way to work together for GMV to market Bill’s bodybuilding videos of some of the top women that he had worked with.
Among his many achievements, he was editor of Flex magazine and was the ghost writer of the classic book, Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding.
He will also be remembered for his iconic book on female bodybuilders titled The Women : Photographs of the Top Female Bodybuilders by Bill Dobbins (1994).
He had an eye for the best angles and best locations for his photography. He had a rare gift for photography and was the greatest bodybuilding photographer that I have known personally.
He told me how he has fought Hodgkin lymphoma (a cancer of the lymphatic system) several times and beaten it each time. I understand that in recent times he has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease. His health was such that in more recent years he could no longer manage to attend the Olympia. A regular meeting place where we always swapped stories each year. I will miss him and his extraordinary photography. Rest in peace my friend.
Videos Produced by Bill Dobbins:
Alina Popa – American Muscle Fantasy
Arina Manta – Fit Doll
Sherry Goggin – My Life in a Bikini