Richard Avedon

(b. March 15th, 1923, d. October 1st, 2004)
Richard Avedon was a highly successful fashion photographer who transformed the face of fashion photography into an art form instead of purely a way in which to sell clothes and magazines. He began his career as a staff photographer for Harper's Bazaar in Paris just after the end of World War Two. He was brought in to revitalize the French economy and restore Paris to its pre-war, chic environment. He worked under Harper's Bazaar's founder Alexey Brodovitch and Carmel Snow. He's stated in interviews that these people provided him with the necessary mentoring and nurturing for him to truly develop the unique look his photographs possess. In 1966, he left Harper's Bazaar to work for Vogue. He's also stated in interviews that the switch to Vogue was a transition into a more compromising, commercial mentality that he was forced to adopt in order to maintain his job. This, however, did not thwart his unique character and charisma in the studio.

Many of his models shmooze on how he would interact with them and move as they moved with his camera. Avedon' is also known for his large prints and documentary photography where he would photograph the streets of Harlem, mental institutions, and the American West. However, these works are significantly shrouded by his fashion work. Avedon worked almost exclusively with portraiture using a pure white backround and little or no props so as to not distract the viewer from anything besides the subject being photographed. This serves to give his work a minimalistic yet elegant feel. Avedon also only worked in large format and would frequently use view cameras to photograph his subjects. His last portrait was of Barack Obama during his latest project named "Democracy," a project carried forth during the 2004 presidential election. The portrait of the current day President is eerie in its foresight. Richard Avedon died from a brain hemorrhage on October 1st, 2004. He was 81 years old. Since then, he has remained an iconic fashion photographer along with Irving Penn.