Norman Parkinson Portraits/Fashion

Norman Parkinson (1913-90) has been described not only as a craftsman but also as a consummate artist. From the time of his first outdoor fashion shoot in 1935, Parkinson's 'moving pictures taken with a still camera' brought a dramatic glamour and bold inventiveness to the fashion portrait. Less intent on capturing the sitter's 'inner' world, Parkinson concentrated on composition, the shape of the body, the various textures of skin and fabric. He also found a daring new sense of individuality: 'If a girl looks like a model,' he said, 'she is not for my lens.' He found this individuality in sitters such as Wenda, the actress he married in 1947, as well as Celia Hammond, Jerry Hall, Iman and Appollonia van Ravenstein. Organised decade by decade and illustrated with fashion plates, portraits and contact sheets, the book features a number of previously unpublished images. One of the first photographers to shoot on location, Parkinson's fashion portraits appear in settings as varied as the New York skyline and Tahitian seascapes. Parkinson also developed a remarkable use of colour - by using only a limited combination - he achieved outstanding results.
His long association with Vogue, and numerous assignments for Harper's Bazaar, Queen and other international magazines, brought him both fame and recognition. In return he gave the fashion world ineffable style. His was a career of remarkable longevity and his iconic images chart the multiplicity of styles that characterised the fashionable world of five decades.