It’s about time.

Richard Avedon has had a profound effect on photographers for decades. And I’m sure for decades to come. If you have ever taken a portrait, you either know of his work or should.

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As I perused the collection of photobooks, and stopped on this one, In the American West, I realized that we have not celebrated the work of this master enough on this site.
This book giveaway is the first attempt.

And realize too, that Annie Leibowitz has a strong to connection him as she has mentioned. He virtually passed on the portrait photography master mantle to her. Just some current connections for you.

The fact is that you have seen Mr. Avedons work. No doubt. It has been pervasive in our culture for generations. The honest revelation of his subjects under the cool light of his studio stobes continued his trademark exposure of the truth as he saw fit.

From his landmark work and global respect as a fashion photographer,( heck, Fred Astaire played a character based on him in the movie Funny Face )his personal dedication to the unvarnished view of celebrity and general population is available though his many books. A dichotomy that seems easy to understand.

From Amazon site:
Richard Avedon’s In the American West is widely regarded as a landmark project in photographic history and a definitive expression of the power of photographic art. First published by Abrams in 1985 in conjunction with an exhibition at the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, the book is being reissued to accompany a 20th-anniversary re-showing of the exhibition at the same museum.

Avedon, who died in 2004, was the greatest American photographer of his generation. For In the American West, he traveled throughout five years, meeting and photographing the plain people of the West: ranch workers, roustabouts, bar girls, drifters, and gamblers. The resulting book includes 120 exquisitely printed black-and-white photographs, an essay by Avedon on his working methods and portrait philosophy, a journal of the project by Laura Wilson, and a new foreword by John Rohrbach. The reissuing of this legendary book, out of print for more than a decade, is a major event in the photography world.

Richard Avedon was a brilliant master who leaves an incredible legacy of imagery. This is a great addition to your bookshelf.

I have many personal memories of Mr. Avedon, and will share at another time. He was a major influence in the work I stuggled to achieve and a gold standard I was in awe of. And a really good, generous man.

Make sure you check out the PBS :American Masters dvd for a look behind the scenes.

Oh right…the book giveaway!

Make sure you are on the NEWSLETTER list. (sign up on home page top right)
Then on Weds. 9:00 AM PST there will be an email coming your way with details on how to get this book free.
We wold like to welcome all of our new readers also. And let them know we ship ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!

Good luck to all.

Cheers!
Damon Webster