Saturday, March 23, 2013

Famous Portrait Photographers Of The Twentieth Century

By Christi Larsen


Portraiture is a very specific type of photography that not every photographer can achieve. There have been a selected amount, however, of photographers who have captured some of the most beautiful and memorable images of individuals - celebrity or otherwise - that deserve to be remembered always. This is a look at some of the most famous portrait photographers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Born in London at the beginning of the twentieth century, Cecil Beaton is one of Great Britain's finest photographic treasures. His first camera was received at the age of eleven. He held the position of staff photographer in New York in the nineteen twenties for top publications Vanity Fair and Vogue, where his skill was recognized. He had made the decision to move to the States from the UK in order to open doors for himself. The experience acquired during this time is what helped him hone his skill.

In 1965, Cecil Beaton was made Honorary Fellow of the Photographic Society of Great Britain. He was knighted in 1972. In his seventy six years, Beaton's clients included none other than Marilyn Monroe and members of the British royal family, as well as the British prime minister Winston Churchill.

Latvian-born Philippe Halsman left Austria to move to France after an incident that caused the death of his father, which he was then charged for. He left France to go to America when the French invasion took place. One of this photographer's most famous images is that of Albert Einstein, which became TIME magazine's cover, naming Einstein 'Person of the Century'. The same image was found on a United States postage stamp in the mid sixties.

Salvador Dali was also one of Halsman's clients. The photographer and the surrealist painter collaborated together on numerous projects throughout the years. Halsman has also captured some of Hollywood's greatest actresses, such as Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe.

Yousuf Karsh is a photographer who has captured images of some of the world's most influential individuals. Born in Turkey to an Armenian family in late 1908, he is considered to be one of the most accomplished photographers to ever have lived. Sent to Canada by his family to live with his uncle, also a photographer, he then apprenticed with a portrait photographer in the United States, John Garo, for four years.

Karsh's break into international fame arose from an image he took of Winston Churchill. This image is said to be the most reproduced portrait, in terms of photography, in history. He was also the only Canadian to be on the list of one hundred most notable individuals of the 20th century. His clients include Albert Einstein, Brigitte Bardot, Fidel Castro and Mother Teresa.

Famous portrait photographers are famous because of their uncanny skill in capturing one's true essence. A single photograph should be able to tell a story, convey an emotion or describe a thought in order to make a huge impact. Such photographs do not need to be of famous individuals. This is the case with the 'Afghan Girl' portrait, taken by Steve McCurry. This images proves that a photographer can become an immortal with just one iconic piece of work.




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