Pro Photo Podcast: Richard Avedon’s Classic American Portraits
IN THE FIRST of what will be a regular celebration of iconic photographic imagery Cambridge Jones focuses in on a striking portrait from Richard Avedon’s celebrated In the American West series of portraits, produced as part of a five-year project that saw a man renowned for his exquisite fashion assignments for Vogue turn his attention instead to raw portraits of ordinary working people, depicted just as they were without a hint of any stage management.
It was a remarkable assignment that became a labour of love for the great photographer, stirring up controversy from some who felt he was exploiting his subjects, while also treating them with great dignity and ensuring their collective stories would go on to grace the walls of galleries around the world. It was a series that ensured Avedon would go on to achieve a position as an undisputed great of his craft, and it’s been inspiring those who have followed ever since.
Cambridge honed in on a shot of a visibly drained Joe Dobosz, just off his shift as a uranium miner in New Mexico and still covered in the dirt and sweat that were the hallmarks of his trade, and he talks through what this image meant, and how this landmark series of portraits opened so many eyes to the power of photography to define a generation of proud working people.
Head here to read more about the current Facing West exhibition at the Grosvenor Hill Gallery.
Learn more about Cambridge Jones here in our accompanying story.
