Arnold Newman

Inspiration: Arnold Newman

Every few months I like to feature a photographer who whose work has inspired not only myself, but has influenced thousands of photographers throughout the years.  Before Annie Lebovitz, who took up the mantel of portrait and fashion photography, there was Arnold Newman.  His work has spanned decades and he’s documented the faces of some of the world’s most influential people; including six U.S. Presidents, artists and world leaders.  He was the first notable person to compose portraits using the environment of the subject to create a more complete and dramatic image.  While this may seem relatively common in today’s portrait work, it was ground breaking at the time and his techniques still influence the way I design shoots for my clients.

Arnold Newman (1918-2006) is acknowledged as one of the great masters of the 20th and 21st century and his work has changed portraiture. He is recognized as the “Father of Environmental Portraiture.” His work is collected and exhibited in the major museums around the world including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Chicago Art Institute; The Los Angeles Museum of Art; The Philadelphia Museum; The Tate and the National Portrait gallery, London; The Israel Museum, Jerusalem; and many other prominent museums in Europe, Japan, South America, Australia, etc.

Newman was an important contributor to publications such as New York, Vanity Fair, LIFE, Look, Holiday, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Town and Country, Scientific American, New York Times Magazine, and many others. There are numerous books published of Newman’s work in addition to countless histories of photography, catalogues, articles and television programs. He received many major awards by the leading professional organizations in the U.S. and abroad including the American Society of Media Photographers, The International Center of Photography, The Lucie Award, The Royal Photographic Society Centenary Award as well as France’s “Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters.” In 2005, Photo District News named Newman as one of the 25 most influential living photographers. In 2006, Newman was awarded The Gold Medal for Photography by The National Arts Club. He is the recipient of nine honorary doctorates and has lectured and conducted workshops throughout the country and the world.

Arnold Newman died on June 6, 2006 in New York City. He was 88 years old.

source – www.arnoldnewman.com