Peter Lindbergh, the renowned German photographer famous for some of fashion’s most iconic images, died on Tuesday at the age of 74. Announced via his official Instagram account, the death of Lindbergh is said to have left a “big void,” with special condolences going out to his wide Petra, his four sons Benjamin, Jeremy, Simon, and Joseph, as well as his seven grandchildren.
Born in 1944 in what is now Poland, Lindbergh went on to study at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. Known for his elegant, emotive and cinematic style, Lindbergh is recognised as one of the most influential photographers of his generation. His trademark black and white portrait photography saw him shoot some of the world’s top models throughout the 1990s, such as those of Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford. Since then, Lindbergh went on to shoot campaigns for huge designers including Calvin Klein and David Yurman, as well as editorial work for international magazines, such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar and The New Yorker.
Just three months ago, Lindbergh worked with the duchess of Sussex, photographing 15 female cover stars for the 2019 September issue of British Vogue. The issue, which celebrated “forces for change” included Hollywood stars such as Jane Fonda, climate change activist Greta Thunberg and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden. Preferring to capture images of people naturally, he told Vogue earlier this year: “I hate retouching. I hate make-up. I always say: ‘Take the make-up off!’”
Having had a huge impact on the fashion industry and pop culture, Peter Lindbergh will be greatly missed.
