Inspired by a Master: Richard Avedon
Marilyn Monroe by Richard Avedon
The American West by Richard Avedon
The American West by Richard Avedon
The American West by Richard Avedon
printing notes by Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon is the photographer that brought Fashion Photography to Magazines as we know it today, And is one of the photographers I Love and Hate. Avedon had a vision for every one he photographed and went to lengths to capture that vision on film. He defined fashion in his time by photographing for magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, and most recently had an amazing show of his fashion work at the international center for photography here in NY. Some of his most memorable fashion images include the use of animals as props as shown in the shot with the woman and the snake at the top of the post. Even as a Great fashion photographer Avedon still wanted to be known as a great artist, and spent exstensive time in the american west. In his time out west he would photograph the people that he felt made up the land scape of the american west. Subjects included oil rig worker, coal miners, bee handlers, homeless as well as his fellow artist. Avedons style through out these images is noted by a clean white background and leaving the black frame of the film on his shots.
As I said earlier I both love and hate avedons work his images are beautiful and some of the best I have seen, the reason I dislike him is as a photographer he has ruined shooting on white backdrops for the rest of us. Any time some one does a series of portrait on white background it is first compared to avedons or seen as a copy of avedons work.
I have wrote several post on artist that inspired me, by which I mean I respect there work and have done work that relate to the work that created in there time. Today I have a Show opening in Grand Rapids as part of Art Prize. I am showing at Bar Divani’s new Photo gallery space Located at 15 Ionia Ave in Grand rapids. As part of Art prize it is up to the public to cast there vote for what work is best in show. I hope every one is able to come down and cast there vote, I will be at the gallery Saturday the 26th from 12 -4 photographing people as part of an interactive part of the exhibit. The work on display (shown below) has many similarities to Avedons work in the west. Although they may seem similar in style I took a very different approach to getting my images. For my project I stood next to a truck at a flea market for a number of months and any one that walked by I would ask to photograph them those who agreed had one frame to pose how ever they wanted in an attempt to show people as they wish to be seen in the public eye. Avedons work was done with meticulous detail from hand picking the people he shot, posing them how he wanted to see them and then doing exstencive dark room work to make the images to his liking.
I hope you all enjoy the show and I look forward to seeing you there.
Other artist I have drawn inspiration from include
The Faces of NY Copyright 2009 Bryan Moore
The Faces of NY Copyright 2009 Bryan Moore
The Faces of NY Copyright 2009 Bryan Moore
The Indecisive Moment 
I LOVE AVEDON
Avedon was great but it shouldn’t ruin the white backdrop for you. Your photos stand alone no matter what someone else has done before you. It is certainly not your fault that someone lacks the depth to look past Avedon to see the beauty of your photographs. I am about to start a series of Architects and Designers Portraits. It should be interesting to see if I run into the same comments.
Thank you for your point of view jason. Yes it shouldn’t stop me or any one else from prosuing an idea or style of photographing, But it is one of the facets you have to think about when you present your work to others. I don’t think my white portraits are the same as avedons but when I show it I think its important to be aware of people that have shot that style and be able to speak about how my point of view is different