To all those budding photography students across the land you should take special note of the recent loss of a giant in the world of photography. Irving Penn first known as a fashion photographer and later evolved into a commercial art photographer has died at the age of 92. Before computers came along that would change how we saw photographs, photographers like Penn only had their creative eye and their intuition to transform beauty on a two dimensional level.

His works became iconic no matter if he shot portraits of celebrities to fashion models. From everyday tradesmen like a milkman to the tribesmen of Africa, to the culture of beauty products. For over forty years he was the man that shot the simple, clean graphic visuals to the Clinique cosmetic line. And in the world of commercial advertising that would seem like an historic record for any photographer to retain such a client. The same can be said of his collaboration with Vogue Magazine. Obviously, Vogue showed fashion through Penn eyes through decades.

Penn understood the world of commerce and art. He photographed a series of discarded cigarette butts that were once exhibited in the New York’s Museum of Modern Art. He leaves this world a perfectionist unbridled by modern technology.

Sometimes one never gets a chance to see beauty until its too late. Sometimes that beauty comes in the form of a photograph by someone not at all familiar to many of us. But upon discovery of such photographs by a photographer whose works once graced the covers of fashion magazines is not unusual.

Many photographers’ careers mark a specific time past that no longer gets media attention. Yet these accomplished photographers from their day are now seeing the fruits of their labor come full circle. They are being rewarded with a publication of their work in beautiful designed art books or are having their work prominently exhibited on gallery walls.

One such fashion photographer is Lillian Bassman who was an important figure in the world of fashion since the 40’s. Ms. Bassman who is now 92 was frequently published in Harper’s Bazaar. Her unique editorial style in the early 1960’s showed beautiful women indifferent to mens attention when often shot in the same frame. Women came off as powerful, dominant creatures willingly taking over the visual to a viewer’s concerning eye.

She also worked extensively in the advertising field photographing lingerie where she depicted elegant models looking comfortable in an undergarment as they would have if they were wearing the latest couture designer dress.