Ron Howard’s latest documentary, ‘Avedon,’ is, straight up, a dope ride into the mind and lens of Richard Avedon, a true Photography Legend. This flick isn’t just good, it’s next-level, with editing so on point it makes ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week’ look like a rough cut. As the article states, editor Andrew Morreale deserves all the props for weaving hundreds of Avedon’s iconic photographs into a narrative that truly sings. The film doesn’t just show you pictures; it makes you feel how Avedon flipped the script on what photography could be, changing how we see the world, no cap.
What’s wild about Avedon’s work is this epic paradox: he was the king of high fashion and glamour, yet also a total democratic humanist through his images. The documentary, according to the report, nails this duality. Howard brings in serious heavy-hitters like Tina Brown, Larry Gagosian, and fashion icon Calvin Klein, along with Avedon’s insightful son, John. With access to a staggering 16,000 sittings from 1944 to 2004 – roughly one per weekday for 60 years – the film digs deep into the archive, as recounted by James Martin. Avedon himself wasn’t highkey into photography’s technical mumbo jumbo; his real magic was in orchestrating a session. Isabella Rossellini, a well-known personality, shares that Avedon would take maybe ten shots total, valuing a subject’s genuine moment. It hits different, for real.
The origin of that legendary white background is pretty wild. Young Avedon, born in New York in 1923, had a habit of closing his eyes, holding images in his head. Then, at 19, he joined the U.S. Merchant Marines. Tasked with cranking out 100,000 ID photos against a plain white backdrop, he had his epiphany. He saw how the simple background made each individual face stand out, unburdened by distractions. This experience cemented his signature style: a head-on, existential classicist approach, somewhat echoing Diane Arbus’s knack for highlighting the subtly ‘off’ in a person. Many of his most famous shots, like model Lauren Hutton or Charlie Chaplin playfully holding devil horns, were totally spontaneous, capturing unspoken vibes between artist and subject.
By 1957, with the Hollywood musical ‘Funny Face’ based on him, Avedon was already a legend, using his influence as part of his method. Take his 1957 shoot with Marilyn Monroe. She was, according to reports, the most prepared person alive to be photographed. Avedon spent a whole day getting joyful, stunning shots. But the real iconic moment happened at the end, when her guard dropped for just ten seconds, revealing the full woman, Norma Jean, behind the larger-than-life persona. It’s truly a pivotal moment captured by the lens. The documentary offers privileged glimpses into how Avedon crafted these famous images.
Beyond celebrities, Avedon captured the unfamous, like Oklahoma oil workers. His ‘In the American West’ series was so raw and authentic, it was initially too avant-garde for New York museums, proving he was ahead of the curve. While Avedon maintained a ritzy lifestyle with advertising gigs, including the surreal Obsession perfume TV spots, he never saw it as a sell-out. His sixty-year career shows seamless continuity across his portraits, fashion, and commercial work. Each picture, no matter the context, had the same goal: to open your eyes.
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Livia Dorne covers film, television, music, and pop culture with a keen editorial perspective. She delivers engaging commentary, reviews, and behind-the-scenes insights that keep readers connected to the entertainment world. Her style blends critique with storytelling.
