Peter Lindbergh, Legendary Fashion Photographer, Dies At 74
His work with '90s supermodels changed the course of fashion photography forever
Photo: Getty
Peter Lindbergh
Peter Lindbergh, the renowned photographer whose work helped launch the era of '90s supermodels, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 74, his family confirmed in an official Instagram post this morning.
Lindbergh was behind the lens of some of fashion's most iconic imagery, from his signature black-and-white portraits of supers like Naomi, Kate, and Linda to the Pirelli Calendar. His vision redefined fashion photography as a whole, ushering in an era of natural beauty captured in raw portraits that highlighted women in a new light. During a time of airbrushing, he was known for his strong stance against retouching photos.
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Amber Valletta shot by Peter Lindbergh for Harper’s BAZAAR.Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Amber Valletta shot by Peter Lindbergh for Harper’s BAZAAR
The photographer was behind some of Harper's BAZAAR's most iconic images as well—from the '90s supers shot as angels to striking monochromatic portraits and cinematic imagery. His photographs of Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss helped cement their status as icons.
Kate Moss shot by Peter Lindbergh for Harper’s BAZAAR.Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Kate Moss shot by Peter Lindbergh for Harper’s BAZAAR
Lindbergh was born in German-occupied Poland in 1944 and grew up in Duisburg, Germany. He studied art at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts and the Krefeld College of Art before opening his own photography studio in 1973. After moving to Paris to pursue fashion photography, his career of international acclaim soon began.
His works went on to be featured in magazines across the world from BAZAAR to Vogue and campaigns for fashion houses from Dior to Donna Karan. He was the only photographer to shoot the prestigious Pirelli Calendar three times—in 1996, 2002, and most recently in 2017. The prolific photographer's images were celebrated in the 2016 book, Peter Lindbergh: A Different Vision on Fashion Photography, and the recently published coffee-table book, Peter Lindbergh: Shadows on the Wall.
Related article: Peter Lindbergh Reunites 6 Iconic ’90s Supermodels We’re Still Obsessed With
Naomi Campbell shot by Peter Lindbergh for Harper's BAZAAR.Photo: Peter Lindbergh
Naomi Campbell shot by Peter Lindbergh for Harper's BAZAAR
The photographer is survived by his wife, Petra; his first wife, Astrid; his four sons, Benjamin, Jérémy, Simon, Joseph; and seven grandchildren.
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US.
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