Imogen cunningham photographer biography

Her renowned Two Callas debuted in that exhibition. Cunningham once again changed direction, becoming more interested in the human form, particularly hands, and she was fascinated with the hands of artists and musicians. This interest led to her employment by Vanity Fairphotographing stars without make-up. It isn't even American. It's western.

That was what we talked about too. Not being phony, you know. They commissioned her to make portraits of "ugly men" that were prominent in the arts. She created photographs that highlighted actors Wallace Beery and Spencer Tracy. Born: Apr 12, in Portland, Oregon Died: June 24, at age 93 in San Francisco, California Nationality: America Style: Industrial landscapes, nudes, botanical photography Education: American School of Art Scranton, Pennsylvania ; University of Washington Imogen Cunningham is famous for her sensual, pure, and mysterious photographs of flowers and intimate nudes where the bodies of the subjects often resemble flowers.

Her portraits of people, including the artist Frida Kahlo and actors Spencer Tracy, Cary Grant and others are also stirring. She also took quiet but dramatic photos of her family, especially her father and mother. Like many famous photographersher fascination with the art form began early and she bought her first camera when she was 18 years old. However, she grew bored with it and eventually sold it.

Here, she gained knowledge about portrait business and practical photography. Two years later, she won a scholarship for foreign study. She traveled to Germany and concentrated on her studies without taking many photographs. In May ofshe completed her paper in which she described a process used to increase the speed of printing, improve clarity of the highlighted tones and also produce sepia tones.

After this, she went back to Seattle. Life Back in Seattle In Seattle, Imogen opened her studio and even won acclaim for her pictorial works. Most of her work during this time basically composed of sitters at their homes, in the woods, or in her own living room. She further explored her love of plants using the techniques of Straight Photography having made lifelong friendships with the likes of Ansel Adams and Edward Western.

In later life, Cunningham had a sojourn in Street Photographyand all the while oscillated back to old interests as well as trying her hand at new ones.

Imogen cunningham photographer biography

This is a career dedicated to getting to the heart of things, to living at the intense centre of the swirl, and to accepting that the swirl always keeps turning, taking Cunningham on a journey through science, art, and social concern, and all the way back again. Remove Ads Accomplishments Cunningham was true to specifications of the medium of photography, for at the outset of its invention one of its primary uses was as a scientific tool to document botanical specimens.

Cunningham wrote two academic papers early in her career and in this sense, had much in common with the German photographer, Karl Blossfeldt. Blossfeldt famously wrote the seminal work, Art Forms in Nature Both photographers were drawn to the phenomenal detail within a plant's natural structure and in turn successfully represented such in their imagery.