Bob Richardson

He was the first one to say it was a good idea to underexpose the film so as not to show the clothes…. When I started out there were loads of photographers who idolised Bob. He was a sort of underground personality... Bruce Weber, quoted in The New York Times Together with photographers of the calibre of Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton and David Bailey he literally revolutionised fashion photography and his work was seminal for photographers such as Peter Lindbergh, Bruce Weber and Steven Meisel. The first book on the genius of Bob Richardson, celebrated in this monograph by his equally well known son Terry. Through 200 black and white photos the book rediscovers the art of a photographer who left his mark on the pages of the world’s most important magazines. From “Vogue” to “Harper’s Bazaar” his refined and seductive photos are characterised by an extraordinary narrative ability while at the same time showing the rough edges of a rebellious generation where drugs, elegance, sex, beauty and alcohol cohabited perfectly. Although Richardson destroyed much of his work, Terry (his son by second wife Annie Lomax) wanted to edit this book which also includes an autobiographical piece by his father, together with the reproduction of some editorials in which the photos are seen in their original, vintage layout. Bob Richardson (1928-2005) grew up in Long Island, N.Y. and got his training at the Parsons School of Design and the Pratt Institute, but without taking his diploma. Struck at the age of thirty by a serious mental disturbance which, together with alcohol and drug abuse, led him to a life of vagabondage during the 80’s, Richardson made a comeback in the 90’s, hurling heavy accusations at the fashion system and antagonizing the publishing world.