Richard Avedon is considered one of the greatest photographers of all time. At the age of 12 his first camera was the Kodak Box Brownie camera.

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Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon is considered one of the greatest photographers of all time. At the age of 12 his first camera was the Kodak Box Brownie camera.  Avedon dropped out of high school and joined the Merchant Marines photographic section. Later in 1944, he worked as a photographer at a department store, and then two years later the art director of Harpers Bazaar magazine hired him as the photographer. He also produced work for Vogue and Look; while he made a living working in advertising, Avedon was also interested in portraiture. His most critical work was a series of photos of his dying father. His most popular work was his portraits of everyday people and celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe. As he became popular with the public, he had the opportunity to photograph celebrities along with everyday common people.

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Throughout Avedons career, he became most famous for his portraits. Avedons photos were mostly taken in a well lit studio with a white backdrop. The unique style of his portraits is known as minimalism. His photographic style is considered minimalistic because Avedon had the ability to expose the identity and personality of his subjects with just a white backdrop; he didnt need a formal setting to take control of his photo. With his empty studio, Avedon allowed his subjects to move freely with gave his photos a sense of spontaneity. With the white background, it draws your attention more to the person, who is the subject ...

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