Five Nudes Friday #18
“In his life and work, Herb Ritts was drawn to clean lines and strong forms. This graphic simplicity allowed his images to be read and felt instantaneously. His work often challenged conventional notions of gender or race. Social history and fantasy were both captured and created by his memorable photographs of noted individuals in film, fashion, music, politics, and society.
Herb Ritts passed away on December 26th, 2002.”
Source: http://www.herbritts.com
Herb Ritts
Herb Ritts has secured a spot among my favorite photographers, and my introduction to his work happened through the music video for Michael Jackson's "In the Closet". What struck me was his ability to seamlessly translate his visual style into the realm of music videos. Another memorable piece for me is the music video for Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game".
Upon delving into Ritts' body of work, the diversity both in his artistic approach and the models he collaborated with stands out prominently. During that era, prominent models were willing to embrace nudity, and being a well-known photographer, Ritts successfully showcased both male and female subjects in the nude without triggering significant controversy. It's fascinating to reflect on the evolving perceptions of art over time. What was once deemed acceptable and celebrated as art in magazines is now met with reluctance and often deemed publishable only when heavily censored. This shift in the acceptance of nudity mirrors broader changes in societal attitudes toward artistic expression.
As a shooter, it's hard to not be impressed by Ritts. Everything he did was so good.