William Klein (photographer)
William Klein | |
|---|---|
Klein in 2008 | |
| Born | April 19, 1926 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | September 10, 2022 (aged 96) Paris, France |
| Nationality | American, French |
| Education | City College of New York, La Sorbonne, studied with Fernand Léger |
| Known for | Photography, cinema, painting |
| Awards | Prix Nadar 1957 Prix Jean Vigo 2012 |
William Klein (April 19, 1926 – September 10, 2022) was a French photographer and filmmaker noted for his ironic approach to both media and his extensive use of unusual photographic techniques in the context of photojournalism and fashion photography. He was ranked 25th on Professional Photographer's list of 100 most influential photographers.
Klein trained as a painter, studying under Fernand Léger, and found early success with exhibitions of his work. He soon moved on to photography and achieved widespread fame as a fashion photographer for Vogue and for his photo essays on various cities. He directed feature-length fiction films, numerous short and feature-length documentaries and produced over 250 television commercials.
He was awarded the Prix Nadar in 1957, the Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal and Honorary Fellowship (HonFRPS) in 1999, and the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award at the Sony World Photography Awards in 2011.
A retrospective exhibition of his work, William Klein: YES: Photographs, Paintings, Films, 1948–2013, was shown at the International Center of Photography in New York until September 15, 2022.