I had the good fortune to meet one of my photography idols a few years ago. Albert Watson was gracious and generous with his time and knowledge. He is a living master who continues to inspire and push his creative vision well into his 70's.
"Behind Albert’s vision and his subtle play with light is great skill that takes his images to a higher level of art. He transforms a great image into an artistic experience."[Via Profoto]
This Winter’s edition of VOGUE Russia has an incredible retrospective of the most iconic nude images ever featured in the 120-year old publication. The issue celebrates the works of photography legends like Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, Guy Bourdin, Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon and Ellen von Unwerth to today’s photography wonderkind including Inez & Vinoodh, Mikael Jansson, Mert & Marcus and Hedi Slimane. Pick up a copy today! Here is just a sampling, enjoy...
Veruschka by Helmut Newton, Nice, 1975
By Guy Bourdin for Vogue Russia Special Edition 2012: The Nude in Vogue. Originally from Vogue Paris, 1976
Bergstrom, over Paris. 1976 by Helmut Newton.
Irving Penn
Daria Werbowy photographed byPeter Lindbergh
By Herbert Ritts for Vogue Russia Special Edition 2012: The Nude In Vogue, orginally from Vogue UK, 1989
Gjon Mili
Helmut Newton
Nastassja Kinski and the serpent by Richard Avedon
Marisa Berenson photographed by Bert Stern, 1965
Abbey Lee Kershaw for Vogue Russia ~ Photographed by Hedi Slimane.
Eniko Mihalik by Mario Sorrenti
Veruschka in Africa by Peter Beard
Carmen Kass. Vogue Paris, 2005. Photo by Mikael Jansson
Guy Bourdin
John Rawlings
“Valentino Haute Couture” by Deborah Turbeville originally for Vogue Italia September 2012.
Kate Moss Shot by Craig McDean
Mert & Marcus. shot of Naomi Campbell, 2008
Inside the Special Issue:
Steven Meisel: Karlie Kloss,VogueItaly, 2011
Steven Meisel: (left) Natalia Vodianova,VogueRussia, 2008; Daphne Guinness,VogueItaly, 2010
Mikael Jansson: Esther Canades and Mark Vanderloo, Vogue Russia, 1999
Hedi Slimane: Arizona Muse, Vogue Russia, 2011
Peter Lindbergh: Naomi Campbell for Vogue Italy, 1988
Mario Testino: Naomi Campbell for Vogue UK, 2010
Mario Testino: Natalia Vodianova, Vogue Russia, 2008
Ruth Orkin (1921 – 1985) was an award-winning photojournalist and filmmaker. She grew up in Hollywood in the heyday of the 1920s and 1930s. At the age of 10, she received her first camera, a 39 cent Univex. She began by photographing her friends and teachers at school. At 17 years old she took a monumental bicycle trip across the United States from Los Angeles to New York City to see the 1939 World’s Fair, and she photographed along the way.
Orkin moved to New York in 1943, where she worked as a nightclub photographer and shot baby pictures by day to buy her first professional camera. She worked for all the major magazines in 1940s, and also went to Tanglewood during the summers to shoot rehearsals. She ended up with many of the worlds’ greatest musicians of the time including Leonard Bernstein, Isaac Stern, Aaron Copland and many others.
In 1951, LIFE magazine sent her to Israel with the Israeli Philharmonic. Orkin then went to Italy, and it was in Florence where she met Nina Lee Craig, an art student and fellow American, who became the subject of “American Girl in Italy.” The photograph was part of a series originally titled “Don’t Be Afraid to Travel Alone” about what they encountered as women traveling alone in Europe after the war.
On her return to New York, Orkin married the photographer and filmmaker Morris Engel. Together they produced two feature films, including the classic “Little Fugitive” which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1953. From their New York apartment overlooking Central Park, Orkin photographed marathons, parades, concerts, demonstrations, and the beauty of the changing seasons. These photographs were the subject of two widely acclaimed books, “A World Through My Window” and “More Pictures From My Window.” After a long struggle with cancer, Orkin passed away in her apartment, surrounded by her wonderful legacy of photographs with the view of Central Park outside her window.
*click on image for a larger view*
American Girl in Italy 1951
This iconic photo was the result of a superb collaboration between two American young women each traveling solo across war torn Europe in 1951. Ruth Orkin and Jinx Allen serendipitously ran into each other in a cheap hostel overlooking the Arno in Florence, and in her widely-acclaimed photoessay, "Don’t be Afraid to Travel Alone" , Orkin photographed Jinx Allen shopping in the markets, crossing traffic, riding a carriage and flirting at a cafe.
But the most famous was the above photo; it was taken at 10:30 a.m., the street was packed with loitering men because work was scarce and unemployment high in post-war Italy. While the contact sheet began at its eighth frame, they show that Orkin indeed took only two versions of her famous photo. Some may have thought it was staged as the image is so perfect in it's composition and timing ( as Bresson said the "decisive moment") but it was just a perfect moment caught by a master photographer. You can also see from the contact sheets that after those two frames, the man on the Vespa took Jinx Allen for a spin. You can purchase a print here
Marlon Brando in dressing room on set of "Julius Caesar," MGM , 1952, by Ruth Orkin
To be a photojournalist takes experience, skill,
endurance, energy, salesmanship, organization,
wheedling, climbing, gatecrashing, etc.
– plus an eye
and patience.
~ Ruth Orkin,
"Being a photographer is making people
look at what I
want them to look at."
~ Ruth Orkin
Albert Einstein havin' a laugh
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Ninalee Craig, 83, is the woman in Ruth Orkin's 1951 photograph "American Girl in Italy." This photo taken on Aug. 12 shows Craig standing next to Orkin's iconic image and wearing the same orange shawl she wore in the photo nearly 60 years ago. She now resides in Toronto! my hometown. She said of the image“this is a symbol of a woman having an absolutely wonderful time. It’s not a symbol of harassment.”
When Orkin was 17 she wanted to see the 1939 World’s Fair that was in New York City. She somehow managed to convince her parents to allow her to bicycle across the country. She hitch-hiked for the long distances, but ended up biking over 2000 miles through the big cities, and took many memorable photos everywhere she went.
Ruth Orkin in London
Portait of Ruth Orkin with her Nikon
Portait of Ruth Orkin
Ruth Orkin Co-Directed LITTLE FUGITIVE
It was the WINNER of Silver Lion, 1953 -Venice Film Festival and was an Academy Award™ Nominee, Best Motion Picture Story
Sergei Polunin by Albert Watson
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