Richard Avedon was born in New York City in 1923. He was inspired by his parents' clothing business and enjoyed taking photos of his father's store. Avedon is considered one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century known for his portraits of political and cultural leaders as well as his fashion, civil rights, and Berlin Wall photos. He received awards from the International Center of Photography and his work is in the collections of MoMA and the Met. The document also discusses one student's choice of Avedon as an influence and includes links to some of Avedon's photos.