“His fashion and portrait photographs helped define America’s image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century.”
( Andy Grundberg, The New York Times)
But not only America’s image of style, beauty and culture was defined by Richard Avedon – his images have shaped and always will influence today’s photography.
Richard Avedon was born into a world coined by fashion. His mother’s family owned a dress manufacturing business. Avedon’s childhood was full of fabrics, color and fashion magazines – he even decorated his room with cut out fashion photographs he admired.
It is seems not surprising that Avedon started his career – after his first photographical training at the Merchant Marine – as a fashion photographer. His photographs started to appear in famous fashion magazines, like Junior Bazaar and Harper’s Bazaar.
Avedon’s individual style not only to photograph but also the place his models in previously unthought of sceneries and surroundings revolutionized the world of fashion photography. His photographs “Dovima with the Elephants” is just one of his images that changed the entire world of photography.
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But Richard Avedon is not “only” a fashion photographer his amazing artistic skills cover also the field of portrait photography – and revolutionized it…of course. Whether as a close up or from further away Avedon manages to capture intimate and intense moments that seem to reveal everything of the sitter’s personality. Getting portrayed by Avedon is not only an honor but also a lifetime experience for the model. Placed in front of bright white or monochrome grey backgrounds the black and white portraits show the (facial) emotions of those in front of him. Whether they are figures from the fashion world or normal people from the American West. Avedon’s pictures have style and are made with style.
His images have long left the fashion magazines and entered the art museums worldwide. Grab the chance to see one of the Master’s pictures whenever you have it!
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Richard Avedon was born in New York in 1923 and lived and worked his entire life in New York until he died in 2004 at an age of 81.
Must See: http://www.richardavedon.com/