Photographer Profile ~ Herb Ritts

Before his untimely death in 2002, Herb Ritts was perhaps one of Hollywood's most esteemed and respected fashion and celebrity photographers.

Ritts, a self-taught photographer, attributed his first success to shots of actor Richard Gere taken on a desert excursion that ended with a flat tire. Those photographs on the road of the young Gere, a rising star of the 1980 movie 'American Gigolo', launched Ritts' career as a commercial photographer.

In addition to producing portraits and editorial fashion for Vogue, Vanity Fair, Interview and Rolling Stone, Ritts also created successful advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Chanel, Donna Karan, Gap, Gianfranco Ferré, Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani, Levi's, Pirelli, Polo Ralph Lauren, Valentino among others. He also directed numerous influential and award winning music videos and commercials.

"I like form & shape & strength in pictures." ~ Herb Ritts

I think a lot of the time these days people are so concerned about having the right camera and the right film and the right lenses and all the special effects that go along with it, even the computer, that they're missing the key element. ~ Herb Ritts

 

 

Richard Gere – Poolside, 1982 

When I was in high school my bedroom wall was covered in black and white images. From an early age I was drawn to the power of the photographic image. Thinking back now, many of the images I had put up on  my bedroom wall were those of Herb Ritts. His strong graphic images with a great sense of shape, form and light struck a cord with me. He was a true talent

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