Roy Dean (1925-2002) was born and raised in England, but moved first to New York and then to Los Angeles in the early 50's to further his career in the movie industry. Although he had some minor success as an actor, writer, set designer, and director in TV and film, he is best known for his male nude photography. Some observers have described his works as "groundbreaking," and I can't deny that that much of it is artistic. However, I think a lot of it's value lies in the classy and polished way it was presented via glossy, durable books instead of cheap magazines. So today is Roy Dean day.
Don't you think that most all of the photographers' work is derivative of/inspired by their predecessors? It's rare, I think, to find new, break-out artists - those few whose style is so breathtaking and astonishing that the world takes notice.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. Advancement is usually incremental and based on existing work.
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