Irving Penn (1917-2009) was an American photographer known for his iconic fashion and portrait photography. He was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, and studied at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art. After graduating in 1938, he worked as a freelance designer and art director for several magazines, including Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.
Penn's photography career began in the 1940s when he was hired by Alexander Liberman, the art director of Vogue. Penn quickly established himself as one of the most influential photographers of his time, creating iconic images that captured the essence of fashion and beauty. His work often featured models wearing simple clothing against a plain backdrop, allowing viewers to focus on their facial expressions and body language.
Throughout his career, Penn traveled extensively to capture images from around the world. He photographed celebrities such as Pablo Picasso and Marlene Dietrich, as well as everyday people from various cultures. He also created still life photographs featuring food, flowers, and other objects. In addition to his commercial work for magazines, Penn also produced personal projects such as "Small Trades," which documented street vendors in Paris; "Worlds in a Small Room," which featured portraits of tribal people; and "Passage," which focused on aging models.
In addition to his photography work, Penn also wrote several books about photography technique and aesthetics. He received numerous awards throughout his career including two Guggenheim Fellowships (1947-48 & 1951-52), two National Endowment for the Arts grants (1977 & 1979), a Lucie Award (2003), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Center of Photography (2004). In 2008 he was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame. Irving Penn passed away in 2009 at the age of 92.