Few photographers have come close to Richard Avedon’s greatness. In this incredible documentary from the 1995 American Masters series, Avedon takes you through his influences, early career, eventual success and the legacy he left behind. There would be no way to write the history of fashion photography without Richard Avedon. This is more beautiful than we can attempt to describe – it is a must watch. In his own words:
To be an artist, to be a photographer you have to nurture the things that most people discard. You have to keep them alive in order to tap them. Its been important to me my whole life not to let go of the things that most people would throw into the trash can. I have to be in touch with my virgility, with the man in me, the woman in me, the child in me, the grandfather in me. All these things have to be kept alive.
I think I photograph what I’m afraid of. Things that I couldn’t deal with without the camera: My father’s death, madness, when I was young women I didn’t understand. It gave me a sort of control over the situation that was legitimate because good work was being done. And by photographing what I was afraid of I explored, and learned and laid the ghost. It got out of my system and onto the page.
~ Richard Avedon
