Fashion photographer Bob Richardson (1928-2005) first began to publish his powerful, transgressive and emotionally charged black-and-white images in the high-fashion press of the 1960s, highlighting the new freedoms and attendant disillusions of the era in a distinctive, maverick style that matched his own edgy way of life. According to Cathy Horyn of The New York Times, ""Mr. Richardson's pictures were radical because, more than showing youthful fashion in a liberated way, they sought to expose the life dramas that were then consuming young people."" They were dark and conflicted, abject and suggestive, fleeting, broken, knowing and yearning. Always a cult photographer (and widely credited with influencing such peers as Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel and Bruce Weber), Richardson was also plagued by schizophrenia, and he lived hard-experimenting freely with sex and drugs throughout a life of extreme highs and lows. For example, he is perhaps most famous for the profoundly compelling portraits he made of his then-partner and muse Angelica Houston in the 1970s, while the 1980s found him homeless and living on the streets of Los Angeles. This highly-anticipated, beautifully-produced volume is the first ever dedicated to Richardson's oeuvre. Put together by his son, the equally renowned photographer Terry Richardson, it collects what remains of the original work, much of which was destroyed over the course of Richardson's unpredictable career.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have been hawking to get a book of Bob Richardson photography because the man was a major inspiration as the fashion photographer who was about the people and not the fashion. Ironically even as he lambasts the industry that loved him, he still perseveres as a creative force to be reckoned with.
To each his own.
When I got this book I poured through it. Really lovely stuff. I noticed some of the pages looked grainy, maybe because the last surviving examples of these works in his estate are in fact the magazines themselves in somebody's basement. For someone who became so revered for taking photos that revealed his subjects' inner expressions, would he even have been happy with a book of his work that looked like the over-saturated pages of other photographer's biographies?
The usual photo books people rave about are typically so touched up far beyond what the original shot looked like that you can't ever really count it as a work of photographic art. With Richardson, and judging by his auto-biographical notes, would he have been happy with a representation showing only that most of the grit he so loved got washed away in the repackaging process? I think not. Complaints about the printing apparently miss the point of the works all together. Here's the sort of stuff originally found in tattered and pulpy haute fashion magazines that elevated the commercialism back to an art form that said something about the people themselves. It's fitting, really. Black and white and all.
What I find imminently annoying is the fact that even now, after producing this book, no one has yet had the inspired idea to republish "Beyond Cool" which became an early viral marketing inspiration once upon a time as an online biography. I'd pay three times for one copy of that book on my coffee table. I don't think I'm the only one.
Too bad photographers are so terrible at making business decisions.
To each his own.
When I got this book I poured through it. Really lovely stuff. I noticed some of the pages looked grainy, maybe because the last surviving examples of these works in his estate are in fact the magazines themselves in somebody's basement. For someone who became so revered for taking photos that revealed his subjects' inner expressions, would he even have been happy with a book of his work that looked like the over-saturated pages of other photographer's biographies?
The usual photo books people rave about are typically so touched up far beyond what the original shot looked like that you can't ever really count it as a work of photographic art. With Richardson, and judging by his auto-biographical notes, would he have been happy with a representation showing only that most of the grit he so loved got washed away in the repackaging process? I think not. Complaints about the printing apparently miss the point of the works all together. Here's the sort of stuff originally found in tattered and pulpy haute fashion magazines that elevated the commercialism back to an art form that said something about the people themselves. It's fitting, really. Black and white and all.
What I find imminently annoying is the fact that even now, after producing this book, no one has yet had the inspired idea to republish "Beyond Cool" which became an early viral marketing inspiration once upon a time as an online biography. I'd pay three times for one copy of that book on my coffee table. I don't think I'm the only one.
Too bad photographers are so terrible at making business decisions.
6 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Bob Richardson was (he died in 2005) an amazing Photographer Famous for his sexy druggy Debauched Style in the Swingin 1960's Everyone who saw his Photos in Martin Harrison's Unparalled " Appearances"(Fashion Photography since 1945) in 1991
has waited with bated Breath for a Book on this Mans work. Robin Derrick and Robin Muir (from English Vogue) Put out "Unseen Vogue, The Secret history of Fashion Photography" in 2003 I cannot Rave enough about this Book, If you Don't have it Buy it right Now and Martin's Magnum Opus.In 'Unseen Vogue' which I have to Look at every Day its so fabulous!! The Robin's included Richardson"s Pictures and there in color. The Problem With the new Book on Richardson is its all Black and White. (But not even good black and white ). If the Photos were as clear as the Cover Shot it would be fine , But his editorial work from Vogue, French Vogue etc.. are so poorly produced
Grainy, out of focus It looks as if they were Badly zeroxed!! In Contrast helmut Newton's excellent book of editorial work called "pages from the Glossies" the production is clear and well produced and In Color!!! So do you want to spend 75.00 on a picture of angelica Houston looking like a Glam Rock Cinderella? well if it were better Quality I would say, Sure !sign me up! The real part of the book thats worth good money is Bob Ricardson's Poignant Autobiography . This Bisexual Bombardier of Vogue in the 60's and 70"s Had a major Chip on his shoulder.(he truly was his worst enemy someone once said)
His Avedon on Quaaludes style did not sit well with those Up-Tight Magazine editors of the time. Nor would they today. Of Course He raves about how much better he is than Everyone and that hes a God in Europe! (great Hubris, but a Great talent)
His Superciious Diatribe is Frustrating and Vexing and at heart Touching but very Discourteous towards the industry That fed him those fat Checks. A sort of "Answered Prayers" on the Fashion Biz and The man Names Names!!! So if you enjoy William Klein, Avedon, Burt Stern, David Bailey,and helmut Newton you will love Richarson!
has waited with bated Breath for a Book on this Mans work. Robin Derrick and Robin Muir (from English Vogue) Put out "Unseen Vogue, The Secret history of Fashion Photography" in 2003 I cannot Rave enough about this Book, If you Don't have it Buy it right Now and Martin's Magnum Opus.In 'Unseen Vogue' which I have to Look at every Day its so fabulous!! The Robin's included Richardson"s Pictures and there in color. The Problem With the new Book on Richardson is its all Black and White. (But not even good black and white ). If the Photos were as clear as the Cover Shot it would be fine , But his editorial work from Vogue, French Vogue etc.. are so poorly produced
Grainy, out of focus It looks as if they were Badly zeroxed!! In Contrast helmut Newton's excellent book of editorial work called "pages from the Glossies" the production is clear and well produced and In Color!!! So do you want to spend 75.00 on a picture of angelica Houston looking like a Glam Rock Cinderella? well if it were better Quality I would say, Sure !sign me up! The real part of the book thats worth good money is Bob Ricardson's Poignant Autobiography . This Bisexual Bombardier of Vogue in the 60's and 70"s Had a major Chip on his shoulder.(he truly was his worst enemy someone once said)
His Avedon on Quaaludes style did not sit well with those Up-Tight Magazine editors of the time. Nor would they today. Of Course He raves about how much better he is than Everyone and that hes a God in Europe! (great Hubris, but a Great talent)
His Superciious Diatribe is Frustrating and Vexing and at heart Touching but very Discourteous towards the industry That fed him those fat Checks. A sort of "Answered Prayers" on the Fashion Biz and The man Names Names!!! So if you enjoy William Klein, Avedon, Burt Stern, David Bailey,and helmut Newton you will love Richarson!
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