The Photography of Richard Avedon

The content of this blog is understandably restricted to film. However, upon viewing the work of Richard Avedon, I felt a blog entry was most definitely in order - after all, The Art of Film is a course geared at teaching the importance of images, moving or standstill.

Below are just a few of my thoughts:


Photography is very much an artistic medium still in its infancy. With that said, the impact of photographer Richard Avedon can in no way be overlooked. Simply put, his idiosyncratic style has irrevocably helped to define our image of the twentieth century. For over sixty years he has photographed people from all walks of life, maintaining above all things the integrity of his varying subjects – granting each individual the attention and respect that in most cases only celebrity warrants.

The central focus of Avedon’s work is the human subject. Each individual is displayed in a fashion that befits his or her personality, as we are given a unique glimpse into what it is that makes us human with each photograph. To quote the master auteur himself: “Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me. My concern is . . . the human predicament; only what I consider the human predicament may simply be my own.” In other words, Avedon’s concentration is his use of the human subject to portray his varying insights into human nature. Be it a woman baring her pregnant stomach, an awkwardly pacing Bob Dylan, or simply Marilyn Monroe with a far-off look in her eyes, there is an unbridled honesty in Avedon’s photographs. More than anything, it is the connection he engenders between an audience member and his subject – the viewer and the viewed – that is impressive. To put the matter bluntly, there is an intimacy that permeates his photographs that allows his analysis of the human condition to work so beautifully. Avedon’s work clearly evidences a successful exploration of the idea behind his concentration, as each photograph articulately enunciates the persona of a different individual. Avedon continually looked within himself as an artist to tell a new story with each subject that passed before his camera lens. There is no better proof of this than the striking breadth of his portfolio.


There are very few if any qualms that I personally have with Avedon’s work. It can be said by some that certain photographs of his are difficult to stomach because of their content – a photograph of Andy Warhol and a nude gathering of his actors, for instance, can prove somewhat unsettling upon first glance. In spite of this – and perhaps in part because of it – Avedon’s work clearly evidences the introspective and engaging artistic vision of a photographic maestro.


If you're at all interested, I've included the link to Richard Avedon's website. There, you'll be able to find an archive of his photographs. You may just be surprised to see who turns up.

www.richardavedon.com