Irving Penn / fashion photographs

In the 1950s Penn’s work sparked a change in fashion photography that some say directed its evolution to the current day. He liked to feature elaborate garments against flat walls or blank space to allow the pieces to stand on their own. His still life shots tend to illuminate flaws and impurities of the subject, which stand out more against his minimalist backgrounds. His broad range of photos- from intimate portraits to high fashion to still life to anthropological studies of primitive cultures- all share a the same astounding effect on the viewer because of his signature contrast of an impure or elaborate subject with a clean backdrop.

Love contrast. Love these shots.  XX