Richard Avedon was a famous American photographer born in 1923 in New York City. He is best known for his fashion photography and portraits. Avedon studied photography in school and was hired by Harper's Bazaar magazine, where he pioneered photographing fashion in real-life settings. He later worked for Vogue magazine and became the first staff photographer at The New Yorker in 1992. Avedon was influential in the fashion world and known for his minimalist portraits that revealed character. He passed away in 2004 at age 81 while on assignment.

1. Richard Avedon
Modern Photography
McCall Budzius
3B
Famous Photographer Project

2. Biography
• Richard Avedon was born on May 15, 1923 in New York City. Avedon was best known for his work in
the fashion world and for his minimalist, large-scale character-revealing portraits. In school Avedon
studied photography and later was hired as a staff photographer for a magazine of Harper’s Bazaar
as well as becoming married to a model named Dorcas Nowell but soon divorcing. A while after
Avedon was signed for the cover of the spring and fall fashion collections in Paris. He created many
of his photographers of fashions in black and white showcasing the latest fashions in real-life
settings. After leaving Harper’s Bazaar he worked as a photographer for Vogue. As well as in 1992
Avedon became the first staff photographer in the history of The New Yorker. A few years later
Avedon passed away at 81 on October 1, 2004 in San Antonio, Texas while on an assignment for The
New Yorker.

3. His Work
• Avedon Fashion Cover with lenticular eye closed and
eye open.

4. His Work
Buster Keaton, Comedian,
New York, September 19, 1952

5. His Work
Early Paris Fashion Portfolio:
Renee, The New Look of Dior,
Place de la Concorde.,
Paris, August 1947

6. His work
Dovima with Elephants Poster

7. His work
Front cover of the Women
in the Mirror Catalogue
2005

8. His Work
Women in the
Mirror 2005
Coat by Carmen

9. His Work
Elise Daniels, Turban by
Paulette, Pre-Catelan,
Paris, August, 1948

10. Training In Photography
• Richard was very into fashion and photography.
• Also Poetry
• Attended DeWitt Clinton High School in New York City.
• Avedon and Baldwin served as co-editors of the school’s prestigious
literary magazine.
• Avedon then enrolled at Columbia University to study philosophy and
poetry.
• He dropped out after one year and served in the United States Merchant
Marine during World War ll. His main duty was taking identification
portraits of sailors.
• He then left in 1944 and attended the New School for Social Research in
New York City to study photography under Alexey Brodovitch.
• Soon he was hired as a staff photographer and established as one of the
most talented young fashion photography history.

11. Career and Achievements
• Avedon became the first ever staff photographer
for the New Yorker in 1992, at 69 years old.
• He held this position till his death in 2004
• Photography for Vogue
• Around 1950 Avedon won the Highest
Achievement Medal of the Art Directors Club in
New York
• Known as the most influential photographer of
the past 20 years.
• Also known as King of fashion photographers.

12. Significant Contributions
• Richard Avedon was bested known for his
photos to go beyond. They explore the
identity of society and reflect dreams and
desires.
• Contributed to the fashion world.
• Legendary photographer

13. Sources
• http://www.biography.com/people/richard-
avedon-9193034?page=2
• http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/biographies/rich
ard-avedon-biography
• http://www.my-
fashionbank.com/articles/article19.html