Melvin Sokolsky (born 1938) is an American photographer and filmmaker best known for his groundbreaking fashion photography of the 1960s. He began his career in the 1950s as a freelance photographer for magazines such as Seventeen, Glamour, and Harper's Bazaar. In 1963, he was hired by Harper's Bazaar to shoot a series of photographs featuring model Jean Shrimpton in a bubble suspended over New York City. The resulting images were revolutionary and helped to define the look of fashion photography for decades to come.
Sokolsky continued to work with Harper's Bazaar throughout the 1960s, shooting iconic images of models such as Twiggy and Veruschka. His work was also featured in Vogue, Life, Look, and other major publications. In addition to his fashion photography, Sokolsky also created several short films during this period.
In the 1970s, Sokolsky moved away from fashion photography and began working on more personal projects. He traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia, creating photographs that explored themes of identity and transformation. His work from this period was exhibited at galleries around the world and published in several books including "Melvin Sokolsky: Seeing Beyond" (1974) and "Melvin Sokolsky: Photographs" (1977).
In recent years, Sokolsky has returned to fashion photography with a renewed focus on digital technology. He has collaborated with brands such as Gucci, Prada, Dior Homme, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, and others on campaigns that combine traditional photographic techniques with cutting-edge digital effects. His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions around the world including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Throughout his career Melvin Sokolsky has pushed boundaries both technically and artistically while creating some of the most iconic images in fashion history.