It would be difficult to over-estimate the impact of British fashion photographer Norman Parkinson on post-WWII portraiture and fashion photography both in Britain and beyond. A new book by Louis Baring, Norman Parkinson:A Very British Glamour (Rizzoli), celebrates his work and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Parkinson was one of the first photographers to take models out of the classic studio setting and bring them outdoors pioneering a style referred to as "action realism" as early as the 1940's. In fact, he made as much use of farmers' fields and the gritty urban landscape of East London as he did the stately homes of British landed gentry as backdrops for his work. Known for his humor and sense of fun, his photographs are elegant and glamorous but also frequently include a good dose of irreverent humor as well. One of my favorite shots for instance is of his wife, Wenda Rogerson, straddling an ostrich (Vogue, 1951).
More importantly, you sense when looking at his photographs that he was not content with merely directing his models but rather engaged with them from behind the lens - these women look like they're in on the joke with Parkinson. The effect is to humanize an otherwise intimidatingly beautiful creature. It also injects a note of warmth to the cool glamour of high fashion and makes for a thoroughly mesmerizing image. I trust you'll enjoy this book as much as I did.
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
These images are truly fabulous. Why can't real life be like that? I'm running out to get this post haste!
Posted by: John Agee Paris | Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 17:37