Norman Parkinson: The Man Who Brought Fashion Photography to the Streets
Nowadays, it is not unusual for fashion magazines to have photo shoots on the beach, on a city street, in the forest or at a stadium. But it was not always like that. Back in the early 20th century, such shoots were held in studios until the British photographer Norman Parkinson changed everything. This photographer turned the idea of fashion photography upside down and his contribution to the art of photography is difficult to overestimate.
Norman Parkinson was born in 1913 in London. He became interested in photography in 1931, when he worked as an assistant in a photo studio. He got so into it that he forgot about his direct responsibilities and was fired. At the same time, the employer treated the guy quite favorably and even wrote a good reference, which included the following words: "A very original young man. Perhaps he will become a photographer."
And he did. And not just a photographer, but one of the most famous in the world. He collaborated with the most popular publications of the 20th century: Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Bystander, Town and Country, Life. Politicians, actors, pop and sports stars, and members of royal families trusted him to take photo portraits.
Norman Parkinson's authority was so significant that the photographer was the first of the Britons to be released in the 70s. The maestro's team traveled more than 7,000 km across the country, taking a large series of photos with the model Jerry Hall for British Vogue. Before him, only the American Margaret Bourke-White, who traveled around the Soviet Union with a camera in the 30s, had done such a volume of work.
Parkinson is said to have revolutionized fashion photography and brought it out of the pavilions and studios into the open air. He made models move naturally, because before that they were static. The photographer invited girls to the studio, and from there he took them to the most unexpected places. His method of work was full of life and this is clearly visible in the works of the master.
Norman Parkinson photographed until the last minute of his life. He died in 1990 at the age of 77 during an on-location photo shoot in Singapore.