Books like Richard Avedon Portraits

A collection of portraits of famous celebrities, writers, and politicians, Richard Avedon Portraits showcases the American photographer’s best work. Working in the postwar era, chiefly as a fashion photographer, Avedon shot simple portraits of the cultural icons of his time, from Gabriel García Márquez and Truman Capote to Marilyn Monroe and John Martin. The photographs are flat, featuring artificial lighting, plain white backgrounds, and unassuming poses; each photo centers on a single personality, but humanizes rather than glorifies the subject. While Avedon’s work lacks the aesthetic novelty it might have once had, his portraits are still memorable and well worth viewing.