Cecil Beaton: Portraits is an exhibition of nearly 50 portraits by one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century. The exhibition, which is going to take place from 26 June - 31 August 2009 in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, reflects the astonishing talents of the photographer who was also a writer, artist, designer, actor, caricaturist, illustrator and diarist. He photographed a dazzling array of superstars and leading personalities ranging from the Queen to Mick Jagger, Marilyn Monroe to Audrey Hepburn and Winston Churchill to Lucian Freud. His long career covered an era of great change from the Roaring Twenties to the dawn of the New Romantics. His early photographs were published in society magazines The Sketch, Tatler and Eve from 1925 onwards. In 1927, 23-year-old Beaton secured a contract with Vogue to provide portraits, caricatures and social commentary. His career – with the exception of two short breaks – continued with Vogue for the rest of his life.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today a new endowment fund and promised gift of artwork in memory of the great American street photographer Helen Levitt, who died on March 29, 2009, at the age of 95. The Helen Levitt Memorial Fund has been established through a generous planned gift of the artist’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Robert O. Levitt, and will support the Museum’s acquisition of photographs by Helen Levitt and other mid-20th-century American photographers working in her tradition. Mrs. Robert O. Levitt has also made a promised gift to the Metropolitan Museum of 12 of the artist’s photographs. To celebrate Levitt’s life and work, a selection of a dozen of her photos from the Metropolitan’s collection will be on view in the Museum’s Robert Wood Johnson, Jr. Gallery from May 11 through August 30, 2009.

Proud Central will be hosting an exhibition of Sam Shaw’s iconic photographs of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. This exhibition, showing at Proud Central between 30th April and 26th July, will be his first UK show to feature both actresses. Alongside the well-known photographs, some never-before-seen shots will also be on display. This exhibition has been specially put together for Proud
Galleries by the Sam Shaw Archive and will not be able to be viewed anywhere else after its time at Proud Central. The address is 32 John Adam Street, London. Admission is free.

Photo © Sam Shaw

Helen Levitt, an American master of street photography, passed away peacefully yesterday. Levitt was born on 31 August, 1913, started to work for a commercial portrait photographer in 1931, and purchased her first Leica in 1936, not long after an encounter with Henri Cartier-Bresson. She went on to become famous for her street photographs of New York City, including poorer neighbourhoods such as Spanish Harlem. Although she liked black and white, Levitt was one of the first truly gifted street photographers to use colour film from 1959 onward.

Website: Obituary in The New York Times

Magnum photographers Paolo Pellegrin and Alex Majoli have been selected as the first two professional photojournalists to receive Getty Images grants for 2009. Two student PJs, Andy Spyra and Maximiliano Braun, are also getting grants from the agency. Paolo Pellegrin’s project is entitled “Iraqi Refugees”, Alex Majoli documents Brazil’s ‘hidden’ internal war in his ongoing work “Requiem for Samba”, Andy Spyra has chosen to report on the Kashmir Conflict, whereas Maximiliano Braun’s project, “Stay With Me”, focuses on families caring for a relative living in a vegetative state due to brain damage.

British press photographer Simon Taylor has submitted a petition to Downing Street 10 to remove new restrictions on photography in the United Kingdom. Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act, introduced on February 16, makes it an offence to “elicit, publish or communicate information” relating to members of the Armed Forces, police and intelligence services if that information is “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”. Those convicted under Section 76 could face a fine or up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The petition submitted by Taylor states that “We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Remove new restrictions on photography in public places.” If you are a British citizen or resident, and agree with the petitioner’s aims, you can sign up at the following URL:

Website: Petition

OnAsia has launched a new environmental photo exhibition illustrating key environmental issues such as air and water pollution, deforestation and global warming. The images are by OnAsia photographers working in different parts of Asia and constitute an eye-opening visual account of the environmental destruction being wrought throughout the region. The exhibition opens at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Thailand in Bangkok on March 20th, and will run until April 10th.

The SAMPLE 09 exhibition explores artists’ use of creative printing to enhance their work. A new collection of photographs by emerging and established photographers and artists from around the globe, SAMPLE 09 presents samples of work created by clients of London printing studio theprintspace. The exhibition will run until March 31st at theprintspace, London.

Ansel Adams photograph “Grass and Rain” will be available as a digital reproduction from April 16th. The eighth image in this new series of Ansel Adams Archival Replicas, “Grass and Rain” is described as an “often overlooked” image that is “a really wonderful image to hang in one’s home or office.” The Archival Replicas range in size from 7 by 9” to 30 by 38” and cost from $79 to $999, depending upon size, mounting, matting and framing. Grass and Rain will be available in sizes up to 20 by 24” with larger prints offered on request.

National Geographic photographer Reza will talk about his new book new book War + Peace at the Frontline Club in London. Reza has covered most of the globe for National Geographic and other major international publications. War + Peace conveys torment and upheaval, but also the art, culture, and traditions of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and other areas. This event will take place on March 2nd at 7:00pm.

Website: Frontline

Photographer Paul Graham is in conversation with New York Times writer Philip Gefter at New York’s Visual Arts Theater on February 9th. This free event is the first in a series of monthly conversations exploring contemporary photography. British-born Paul Graham is recognized for his innovative and experimental contextualization of images and particularly tender observation of daily life.

The Ansel Adams Gallery has introduced a new range of affordable Archival Replica prints, starting at just $79. “To display an Ansel Adams photograph, people have had three choices until now: an original print made by the artist, Yosemite Special Edition photographs limited to 8 by 10” or fine art posters,” said Matthew Adams of The Ansel Adams Gallery. “These new Archival Replicas expand the selection of his work available to the public in a range of sizes, and do so at affordable prices,” Adams continued. Seven images that Adams created between 1930 and 1955 were chosen for the range, including photographs made in Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Canyon de Chelly, at Point Sur and of the Marin Headlands.

New Suburbia by Bill Owens is the follow-up to his famous 1970’s book and photography series, Suburbia. On show at the PDNB Gallery in Dallas, USA from November 22, 2008 - January 3, 2009, New Suburbia is in color rather than black and white, but again focuses on how we live. There will be an artist reception and book signing on Saturday, November 22, 2008 from 5 - 8 PM.

One of the world’s leading photographers, Nadav Kander, will be in discussion with Joanna Pitman as part of the PhotoVoice Lecture Series. On Tuesday 18th November 2008 at the Royal Geographical Society in London,  Kander will be showcasing his latest project: Yangtze, The Long River. Tickets cost £10 in advance or £15 on the door.

Sony has just launched its professional photographer program at the PhotoPlus Expo tradeshow in New York. Andy Katz, David McLain, Christina Mittermeier, Brian Smith and Matthew Jordan Smith are the five professional photographers to be included in Sony’ first-ever professional photographer program. Each of the photographers created the images in a gallery that is on display today at the PhotoPlus Expo.

UK wedding photographer Crash Taylor has started a new site interviewing photographers from across the globe. Aiming to turn it into the biggest interview site in the UK, every week Crash interviews a photographer whose work pushes the boundaries of the wedding profession. Well worth checking out if you’re even remotely interested in wedding photography (or you’re just looking for a wedding photographer!).

Website: Crash Taylor Photographer Interviews

Lisa Visser has been named as the 2008 British Professional Photographer of the Year. The announcement was made at the British Professional Photography Awards (BPPA) in Newcastle on Sunday 19th October. Lisa, based at Hamilton Studios in East Grinstead, West Sussex has been a portrait photographer since 1988 and is recognised as one of the UK’s top child and baby photographers.

Lexar Elite Photographers Vincent Laforet, Moose Peterson, and Rick Sammon will be sharing their extensive knowledge at PhotoPlus Expo 2008 in New York. They will show their latest work, discuss their experiences as professional photographers, and answer questions about their digital imaging workflow. Visit the the Lexar booth between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm each day at PhotoPlus Expo.

Photographs by Philip Jones Griffiths will be on display in Recollections at the National Conservation Centre in Liverpool. The first display of his work since Griffiths died in March this year, the exhibition will feature around 60 images of Britain in the 1950s and 60s. Recollections by Philip Jones Griffiths runs from from 17 October 2008 to 15 March 2009.

The Face of Church Street is a new photo exhibition by Richard Nolan-Neylan which puts the spotlight on small business owners in Church Street, Stoke Newington, London. Church Street is a rare street in modern Britain, with no corporate chain stores, only independent traders. An exhibition of Nolan-Neylan’s images are on display at The Blue Legume Café in Church Street, Stoke Newington from 16th October - 13th November.