From a young age, Richard Avedon was exposed to fashion. But little did the little boy sitting in his father's women's clothing store on 5th Avenue know that he would later become the world's greatest fashion photographer. He was born in New York City in 1923 to Jacob Avedon, a Russian immigrant who made his way to the city to finally own his own clothing store. Avedon's mother, Anna, was a musical and artistic woman who was his artistic muse. His sister, Louise, was also an inspiration to him. As a child he constantly photographed his beautiful sister, his first model. His interest in photography began after joining a photography club at the local Young Men's Jewish Association. After graduating from high school in 1941, Richard attended Columbia University to study philosophy and poetry, but after just a year he dropped out to join the Marines. In the Marines, he was a photographer during World War II, taking photos for ID cards. After the war, Avedon returned to school, to the New School for Social Research, to pursue photography and learn from Alexey Brodovitch, a well-known photographer. and designer at Harper's Bazaar magazine. Brodovitch influenced Avedon to take high-caliber photos and eventually hired him as the magazine's staff photographer. It was at Harper's Bazaar that Richard's career really took off. He was sent to France in the late 1940s to do a fashion photoshoot. Avedon thereafter became renowned as a highly talented photographer, who captured everyone's attention with his photos of flowing dresses and unposed fashion portraits. Richard Avedon changed the images of fashion photography. Avedon loved the idea of ​​movement. He was one of the first fashion photographers to put famous and never-taken photos on paper. Despite being critically acclaimed around the world, another lesson his early editors taught him was not to believe compliments. Avedon never accepted compliments that showed a modest side in a world of greedy celebrities. Sadly on October 1, 2004, Avedon died while on location for a photoshoot of a brain hemorrhage in San Antonio, Texas. He will be remembered for creating controversy, invasive photos and his ability to bring out the humility and personality of a subject. He was a bold and daring individual who let the world look inside his head. He allowed them to see the crazy, the beautiful, and most importantly, the truth in what he saw. He was an artist first, a friend of his subjects second, and a photographer third. He didn't care what the world thought of him, he just wanted to make his mark. And Richard Avedon certainly did.