Fashion and portrait photographer Irving Penn died yesterday at the age of 92. Originally schooled in drawing and painting, he became famous for post World War II glamour photography and portraiture. One of his most famous shots is a tightly-cropped portrait of Pablo Picasso but, as The New York Times notes, “his subjects were usually shown whole, apparently enjoying a splendid isolation from the real world”. Superior compositional skills, a penchant for clarity and creative use of light were the cornerstones of his style. In 1950, he married one of his models, Lisa Fonssagrives, and the two remained faithful to each other until Lisa’s death in 1992.

Website: Obituary in The New York Times

Photo Credit: Horst / Staley-Wise Gallery

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