Iconic fashion photographers are an important part of the fashion world. They capture those enduring images that become part of pop culture. What makes an iconic fashion photographer can involve a number of things – it could come down to style, the number of magazine covers or fashion campaigns they shoot, the company they keep, or the controversy they create. Usually, it’s a combination of all of these things. Get acquainted with a few such iconic fashion photographers, below.
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Annie Leibovitz
She’s not only an iconic fashion photographer but an iconic photographer, full stop. From capturing famous fashion faces, pop culture icons (like *that* portrait of John Lennon and Yoko Ono), and fairytale fashion editorials, Annie Leibovitz’s body of work is prolific!
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Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon is probably best known for bringing mood and emotion into fashion photography. He worked for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue magazines, photographing most Vogue covers throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These days, his photographs can be found in art galleries and museums around the world.
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Helmut Newton
What made Helmut Newton an iconic fashion photographer was his provocative black and white images – so much so that he was even given the nickname the ‘King of Kink’. His images often graced the pages of many of the big fashion magazines, such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
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Tim Walker
Tim Walker is another acclaimed fashion photographer who regularly contributes work to the top fashion magazines. His style is very theatrical, extravagant, and larger than life. Funnily enough, he also started out as an assistant to another iconic fashion photographer on this list, Richard Avedon.
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Ellen Von Unwerth
Ellen von Unwerth first started off as a fashion model but eventually found herself on the other side of the lens. Her photographs are known for their sensual femininity and her works have appeared in the pages of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Interview, and even Playboy magazine. She’s also shot various album covers and music videos throughout her career as well.
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Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton is best known for his fashion photographs and society portraits. He started his career in the 1920s and is truly one of history’s most iconic fashion photographers. Always clued in to the fashions of the time, he also photographed iconic figures like The Rolling Stones and Twiggy in the 1960s.
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David Bailey
David Bailey is often thought of as one of the best British fashion photographers. Along with a few other photographers, he helped capture and create ‘Swinging London’ in the 1960s. Many of the images he shot, while capturing the fashions of the time, are now regarded as iconic portraits in their own right.
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Terry Richardson
Love him or loathe him, Terry Richardson is no doubt one of the iconic fashion photographers of modern times. He not only shoots fashion but celebrities as well. His raw, sometimes obnoxious images sometimes spit directly in the face of fashion – yet that’s part of their appeal.
When it comes to fashion, who is behind the lens is just as important as who is in front of it. Of course, there are so many more iconic fashion photographers I could add to this list - Mario Testino, Bill Cunningham, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel… the list goes on! Tell me, do you have a favourite iconic fashion photographer? Which iconic fashion photographers would top your list?
Top Image Source: exquisitejunk.com
