Photographer Avedon dies at 81

NEW YORK - Richard Avedon, the revolutionary photographer who redefined fashion photography as an art form while achieving critical acclaim through his stark black-and-white portraits of the powerful and celebrated, died yesterday. He was 81.

I had a brief encounter with Richard Avedon on the street in NYC. I approached him and asked for an autograph. "Mr Avedon, my colleagues will never believe that I met you, could you please sign this piece of paper." He genially obliged. Years later I sent him one of my books which included one photo strikingly similar to a shot of his that he did for the Pirelli calendar. My book was published years ahead of this calendar and yet I'm sure it did not influence this master. Avedon acknowledged the likeness of the two images and sent me a letter musing about how both models shared such a subtle waist.