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Celebrity photographer Herb Ritts dies
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Dan Sgambelluri
Dec 26, 2002, 11:20:21 PM12/26/02
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LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Photographer Herb Ritts, whose access to
celebrities, even at their most fragile moments, gave him an edge in a
competitive field, died Thursday of complications of pneumonia, his
publicist said. He was 50.
Ritts -- whose stylish, mostly black-and-white portraits helped define the
image-conscious 1980s and '90s -- died at the University of California, Los
Angeles, Medical Center, publicist Stephen Huvane said.
Ritts gained entree to celebrities' lives even at unglamorous moments. He
photographed Christopher Reeve, wired up and immobile in a high-tech
wheelchair. In another photograph, Elizabeth Taylor sported a crew cut and
the scar resulting from her brain surgery.
"He could get people to do things that they were reluctant to do, because in
the end it would make a great photograph," said David Fahey, Ritts' gallery
representative.
Edward Norton, one of Ritts' subjects, once told the Los Angeles Times: "I
feel like Herb really does see everything as beautiful. ... It's almost as
if he can't help but see it in its idealized form."
Ritts was born in Los Angeles in 1952, and the family furniture business
provided a comfortable life for him and three siblings. He moved to the East
Coast to attend New York's Bard College, studying economics and art history.
After graduation he returned to California and took a job as a salesman in
the family business.
Taking pictures started as a hobby for Ritts, and chance and connections
propelled him into the world of celebrity photography in the '70s. He got to
know Richard Gere through someone who was dating the actor at the time.
A drive in the desert led to a flat tire and an impromptu photo session in a
service station. The result was a photo of a steamy Gere in a white vest,
his arms over his head and a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"I can't remember whether I told Richard to put his arms over his head or
whether I just clicked when he stretched. And he really smoked a lot. He was
like that, a handsome kid and very sexy," Ritts said in an interview for a
catalog that accompanied a show at Paris' Fondation Cartier in 2000.
At the time, Gere was an unknown. A year later he was a star, and Ritts'
photos were being used as publicity shots.
Ritts shot celebrities from Madonna to Michelle Pfeiffer to Dizzy Gillespie
for top fashion and culture magazines -- Interview, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue,
Elle. When Taylor married construction worker Larry Fortensky in 1991, Ritts
had exclusive rights to photograph her eighth trip down the aisle.
He showed Madonna grabbing her crotch, Cindy Crawford dressed as a man,
Annette Bening pregnant and lounging on a couch.
Ritts believed his pictures would endure, even as his subjects faded from
public awareness.
"Fifty or 60 years from now, if someone sees a portrait of Madonna, they
really won't care that it was Madonna or they won't know" who she was, he
told the Los Angeles Times. "But it'll hold up as a portrait of an
interesting woman you want to know. You feel her. There's something coming
from it."
His subjects ranged far beyond pop culture -- Ronald Reagan, Stephen Hawking
and the Dalai Lama all went before his lens.
Ritts published at least eight books of photographs and did work for top
fashion designers including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Revlon and
Giorgio Armani. He took pictures for album covers and directed music videos.
In 1991 two of his videos won MTV Awards: best female video, with Janet
Jackson, and best male video, with Chris Isaak.
His work was displayed at studios and museums, including a major
retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in 1996-'97. The show
attracted more than 253,000 people, including some critics who dismissed
Ritts' work as pop art.
Ritts also helped raise charity funds, often for AIDS groups.
He is survived by his mother, Shirley Ritts; a brother, Rory; a sister,
Christy; and his partner, Erik Hyman.
celebrities, even at their most fragile moments, gave him an edge in a
competitive field, died Thursday of complications of pneumonia, his
publicist said. He was 50.
Ritts -- whose stylish, mostly black-and-white portraits helped define the
image-conscious 1980s and '90s -- died at the University of California, Los
Angeles, Medical Center, publicist Stephen Huvane said.
Ritts gained entree to celebrities' lives even at unglamorous moments. He
photographed Christopher Reeve, wired up and immobile in a high-tech
wheelchair. In another photograph, Elizabeth Taylor sported a crew cut and
the scar resulting from her brain surgery.
"He could get people to do things that they were reluctant to do, because in
the end it would make a great photograph," said David Fahey, Ritts' gallery
representative.
Edward Norton, one of Ritts' subjects, once told the Los Angeles Times: "I
feel like Herb really does see everything as beautiful. ... It's almost as
if he can't help but see it in its idealized form."
Ritts was born in Los Angeles in 1952, and the family furniture business
provided a comfortable life for him and three siblings. He moved to the East
Coast to attend New York's Bard College, studying economics and art history.
After graduation he returned to California and took a job as a salesman in
the family business.
Taking pictures started as a hobby for Ritts, and chance and connections
propelled him into the world of celebrity photography in the '70s. He got to
know Richard Gere through someone who was dating the actor at the time.
A drive in the desert led to a flat tire and an impromptu photo session in a
service station. The result was a photo of a steamy Gere in a white vest,
his arms over his head and a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"I can't remember whether I told Richard to put his arms over his head or
whether I just clicked when he stretched. And he really smoked a lot. He was
like that, a handsome kid and very sexy," Ritts said in an interview for a
catalog that accompanied a show at Paris' Fondation Cartier in 2000.
At the time, Gere was an unknown. A year later he was a star, and Ritts'
photos were being used as publicity shots.
Ritts shot celebrities from Madonna to Michelle Pfeiffer to Dizzy Gillespie
for top fashion and culture magazines -- Interview, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue,
Elle. When Taylor married construction worker Larry Fortensky in 1991, Ritts
had exclusive rights to photograph her eighth trip down the aisle.
He showed Madonna grabbing her crotch, Cindy Crawford dressed as a man,
Annette Bening pregnant and lounging on a couch.
Ritts believed his pictures would endure, even as his subjects faded from
public awareness.
"Fifty or 60 years from now, if someone sees a portrait of Madonna, they
really won't care that it was Madonna or they won't know" who she was, he
told the Los Angeles Times. "But it'll hold up as a portrait of an
interesting woman you want to know. You feel her. There's something coming
from it."
His subjects ranged far beyond pop culture -- Ronald Reagan, Stephen Hawking
and the Dalai Lama all went before his lens.
Ritts published at least eight books of photographs and did work for top
fashion designers including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Revlon and
Giorgio Armani. He took pictures for album covers and directed music videos.
In 1991 two of his videos won MTV Awards: best female video, with Janet
Jackson, and best male video, with Chris Isaak.
His work was displayed at studios and museums, including a major
retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in 1996-'97. The show
attracted more than 253,000 people, including some critics who dismissed
Ritts' work as pop art.
Ritts also helped raise charity funds, often for AIDS groups.
He is survived by his mother, Shirley Ritts; a brother, Rory; a sister,
Christy; and his partner, Erik Hyman.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/12/26/ritts.obit.ap/index.html
Daniel
Dec 27, 2002, 8:23:40 AM12/27/02
to
Madonnarama (http://www.madonnarama.com) has a collage of some of his
Madonna photographs on the news section of their website. The iconic
photographs of Madonna and other stars will leave an enduring legacy to a
great talent.
Madonna photographs on the news section of their website. The iconic
photographs of Madonna and other stars will leave an enduring legacy to a
great talent.
Daniel
Catch Me If You Can
Dec 28, 2002, 2:25:38 PM12/28/02
to
>Subject: Re: Celebrity photographer Herb Ritts dies
>
>
>From: "Daniel" rayo...@lineone.net
>
> Madonnarama (http://www.madonnarama.com) has a collage of some
> of his Madonna photographs on the news section of their website.
From: Madonna Rulez (LoveMrs...@madonnaweb.com)
Subject: don't use Madonnarama! --> http://www.madonnasource.com
Hiya lovebugs,
There is a discussion on a couple of mailing lists at the moment
about rama. I thought I'd re-post my views [in response to another post
which I can't unfortunately duplicate since the list is private ]
into this group for the benefit of any people who are still using it
and might be just a little upset by Edwards behaviour
-------
The most distinguishing feature of winners is their intensity of purpose.
~ Alymer Letterman ~
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