In yet another article, we look at a great photographer whose work has inspired millions over the decades: Richard Avedon. A great portrait and fashion photographer, Avedon quickly earned his name for his resourcefulness and ingenuity. He had complete faith in photography as a tool to share his vision and bend the medium to meet his imagination. In addition to commercial work, Avedon earned his name for photographing the rawness of life that depicted his cultural, political, and personal passions. Today, we examine his life and career to learn from the master.
Truth And Story
As photographers, we have placed immense faith in the idea of photography as pure documentation and defender of truth. While this is true in genres like documentary and news photography, Richard Avedon was of the opinion that the image is not the whole truth. In an interview, he said: “There is no truth in photography. There is no truth about anyone’s person.” He was not only talking about the accuracy of photography but also what the photograph says about the photographer. He further added, “My portraits are much more about me than they are about the people I photograph.”
From this, we can take that whatever we capture is “our” view of the scene, a person, or a place. So when you photograph, ensure that your images reflect who you are and your style over what you mimic from others.
You Can’t Please All, As Avedon Says
He has been one of the photographers whose work has often been controversial, ruffling many feathers. Some people didn’t like how he approached portraiture, but he ignored the naysayers and continued working. So, if you get rejected multiple times, keep carrying on and take criticism with a pinch of salt. Many people will try to bring you something without giving you a proper reason why a photograph does not work. Constructive criticism is the one that at least points out what the issue is. In the end, it’s your work. So follow your gut and instincts. The rest will be taken care of in time.
Continue To Love What You Do
Richard Avedon once said: “If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it’s as though I’ve neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.” This goes to show his love for the medium and how passionate he was about his work. This also meant he had to make sacrifices, such as limited time with family and friends. While we don’t advise you on that, we do want to remind you that your success is a result of your hard work. You have to keep at it and continue to photograph despite the hardships. Your talent contributes 30% to 40% of your journey; the rest is pure hard work.
How Richard Avedon Captured a Person’s Essence
In one of Avedon’s interviews, he said: “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. It’s been important to me my whole life not to let go of anything that most people would throw in the ashcan. I have to be in touch with my fertility, with the man in me and the woman in me, the child in me, the grandfather in me. All these things have to be alive.” This proves that to be able to analyze and capture one’s essence, you need to be in touch with your emotions, too. For instance, his portraits of people have so many sentiments captured in one frame. So, when you sit down to make a picture, look at how he managed to capture the intricacies of a moment.
Photography as Responsibility
We often forget that photographers have a social responsibility. The work you create can uplift or harm a place or person’s reputation and cause. So, it is imperative that you understand the power you hold as an image maker. As the photographer himself once said in his documentary: “We live in a world of images. Images have replaced language — and reading. The responsibility to your role in history in whatever is going to happen to human beings— you are the new writers. And we can no longer be sloppy about what we do with a camera. You have this weapon in your hands, which is a camera, and it is going to teach the world, it’s going to record the world, it is going to explain to the world and to the children that are coming — what this world was like. It is an incredible responsibility.”
We hope you can use these points to elevate your photography journey and create diverse, impactful work.