Richard Avedon

As Yousuf Karsh chronicled the leading lights of the mid-20th century, Richard Avedon did those of the late 20th century, although in a radically different style.
In 1969 Avedon began working with a large-format view camera, consistently photographing his subjects straight on against a stark white backdrop in even
light. He set up close to his subjects and used long exposures, forcing his subjects to remain still. It was not an arrangement that flattered his sitters. In this
portrait of William Burroughs (American, 1914–1997) —among the most famous of the Beat generation writers—he places the edgy author at the edge of the
frame. The contact print clearly delineates the ravages of a decadent lifestyle on his body, yet Burroughs’s gesture suggests he is as adventurous as ever.