The images regularly contain the dark outline of the film in which the image was framed. Avedons portraits are also well lit and infront of white backdrops.
He worked first as a photographer for the Merchant Marines, taking identification photos. He then moved to fashion, shooting for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue.
Avedon’s iconic fashion and portraiture work was done with an 8×10 view camera with lenses in the 300 – 360mm range. He appeared to favor a Deardorff for field work, like for In the American West.
He used a bright white background open, shadows, snappy contrast, and absolutely no flare compromising the figure’s edges.
The photographer's first muse was his younger sister, Louise. During her teen years she struggled through psychiatric treatment. And, eventually, becoming increasingly withdrawn from reality, was diagnosed with schizophrenia.[4] These early influences of fashion and family would shape Avedon's life and career, often expressed in his desire to capture tragic beauty in photos.
Richard Avedon was a high school drop out and in 1942 he enlisted in the Merchant Marine's photographic section.
Credits:
Created with images by tvol - "chicago seven at richard avedon exhibit at corcoran" • Katie Tegtmeyer - "Don" • Cea. - "[ A ] Richard Avedon - Francis Bacon, Paris, 4-11-79" • Lou_Ball - "untitled image" • ethanhickerson - "Original" • Katie Tegtmeyer - "Joyce" • Katie Tegtmeyer - "Dan" • manhhai - "Ông Đạo Dừa - Photo by Richard Avedon" • amaianos - "Marilyn, Richard Avedon" • Viernest - "Post 6 - Richard Avedon"