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On the 15th May 1923, Richard Avedon was born. Throughout, Avedon career he has been known for “his minimalistic portraits” and “demanding that his models convey emotion and movement”
During 1942 – 1944, Avedon worked as a photographer taking identification portrait for the Merchant Marines. Then left and studied photography at the New School for Social Research in New York City. Avedon worked with Alexey Brodovitch, “the acclaimed art director of Harper's Bazaar”
During 1942 – 1944, Avedon worked as a photographer taking identification portrait for the Merchant Marines. Then left and studied photography at the New School for Social Research in New York City. Avedon worked with Alexey Brodovitch, “the acclaimed art director of Harper's Bazaar”
Both became
good friends and then after a while Alexey Brodovitch offered Avedon a job at
Harper’s Bazaar. Avedon work at Harper’s Bazaar from 1945 – 1965. One of his
most famous photo shoots was of Dorothy
Horan, best known as Dovima, with elephants. This photo for is very elegantly
composed and is quite magnificent to look at.
Out of the portraits that
Avedon has taken the photo of John F Kennedy and his wife Jackie is my
favourite because if you think about this photo has captured social history.
The photo of them is the only physical memory of them left, because they are
sadly not with us.
I came across this quote
from a book “Richard Avedon was fifty-five years old in October of 1978 and at
the top of his game.” (Wilson, L, 2003, Avedon at work, In the American West) The
book shows how Avedon turns to this new project of photographing the American
West. One of the places Avedon went to was Lyons, Texas, where he took a photo
of Roberto Lopez. This was on 28/09/1980, during the big energy boom of that
time. Roberto Lopez had been working “for forty-eight hour straight” and when
asked to be photographed “he was shy and hesitant” (book). I like the
simplicity of this photo. I can see that Roberto Lopez a worker and sense of
tiredness in his eyes. Also, I think the composition of Lopez in the frame to
one side makes for an interesting photo.
Richard Avedon passed away on 1st October 2004, aged 81. In retrospect, I feel that Avedon has achieve a lot in his life and will be remember as one of the great photographer of the 20th century.
Bibliography
Websites
Biography
of Richard Avedon - http://www.biography.com/people/richard-avedon-9193034?page=1
Biography
of Richard Avedon - http://www.biography.com/people/richard-avedon-9193034?page=2
Biography
of Richard Avedon - http://www.biography.com/people/richard-avedon-9193034?page=3
Biography
of Richard Avedon - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/richard-avedon/about-the-photographer/467/
Images
Dorothy Horan, best known as
Dovima, with elephants (1955) http://rebeccaprowler.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/avedon-elephant-picture.png -
accessed on 04/04/14
Roberto Lopez (1980)
- http://www.designboom.com/history/avedon/6.jpg - accessed
on 04/04/14
Portrait of John F Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy - http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2011/01/03/jfk_and_ja_at_him_sq-23bd396a150126165150970e1a32ad4d295f182e-s6-c30.jpg
- accessed on 04/04/14
Books
Wilson, L, 2003, Avedon at
work, In the American West
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