'Picture Perfect'

A picture is worth a thousand words.

For a picture by the legendary fashion photographer Irving Penn, it’s worth that and anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000 at a Christie’s auction.

The death of Mr. Penn two weeks ago, as he preferred to be called, signaled the end of a fashion era – having been to Vogue what photographer Richard Avedon was to Harper’s Bazaar.

Striving for perfection using minimalist forms, Penn’s photographs showed an appreciation for still life through his careful manipulation of light and shadow from a controlled studio space. Some of my favorites include that of his wife and muse, model Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn (above) in a sleek mantel coat or in a gown with large tufts of fabric by Balenciaga.

I spent a solid afternoon clicking my way through his other works: portraits of butchers, boxers and maids in a series titled ‘Petits Metiers’; the indigenous Indians of New Guinea; and a collection of nudes including Kate Moss. And I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have a book of Mr. Penn’s photography or even a reproduction of one of his prints?’

I realized that if I was to decorate my wall or coffee table with some great Penn photographs, I would need to know a thing or two about some of the other top photographers of the 19th century.

1.Ansel Adams (1902-1984)

Billowing clouds over a Golden Gate Bay Bridge expanse. Vertiginous waterfalls at Yosemite National Park. A sunbathing white branch on a rocky Mono Lake shoreline. Adams (above) has captured the American West in all its grandeur, from the smallest flower to the highest mountain peak.

2.Edward Steichen (1879-1973)

Emotions run wild when looking at a photograph by Steichen (below), whose portraiture work was published in magazines like Vanity Fair and Vogue (a former Condenast employee). He reveled in Symbolism, playing with dark romanticism and dreamlike imagery in his New York City cityscapes and landscapes.

3.Robert Frank (1924-present)

Considered one of the influential photographers, Frank’s photographs ('Candy Cigarette' below) of post-war America are unlike any of his contemporaries in that there is always an element of irony and contrast. His work is remarked by the response of his audience, whose reaction he so eagerly seeks.

Want to more about the world's leading and/or up-and-coming photographers? Popular Photography Magazine can point you in the right direction.

Now that's picture perfect.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of www.liveinternet.ru/; www.flickr.com; archives.gov; andrewward.com; photography-collection.com