American photographer Richard Avedon Who was born on May 15 1923 was best known for his work in the fashion world and for his minimalist portraits. He worked first as a photographer for the Merchant Marines taking identification photos. He then moved to fashion, shooting for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, demanding that his models convey emotion which in my opinion makes his work more interesting and adds a edge that helped him in his success and movement, a departure from the norm of motionless fashion photography.