Cecil Beaton, the photographer of the stars in procession Marching
Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton was a British photographer and designer who won worldwide fame because of his great gifts and was known mainly for his photographs of famous movies and art.
born in London in 1904, within an English aristocratic family, growing up amid fascination which he exercised in the journals of the time, which showed pictures of the actresses of the time, even to collect them. At age 11 he was given his first camera by his first photographs with his sisters.
In the 20's became the official photographer of prestigious fashion magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. designed, among others, costumes worn by the stars of the movie "Gigi" or "My Fair Lady", for which he won two Oscars. After gathering enough material for several years, opened an exhibition in London's West End and in 1926 began to devote himself exclusively to photography and working from the studio to sign Vogue. At age 30 and was the favorite portraitist of fashion, film, theater, visual arts, literature, music and the official photographer of Windsor.
Beaton's characteristic touch, his ability to suggest worlds fragile, sophisticated and sensual, the artist made a genius of theatrical scenery, a fashion photographer more suggestive and a famous portrait painter. Its official consecration came in the publication of his portrait of the young Cam in Photographs of the Year in 1922.
Before his goal posed many celebrities, including innovative decorated, light and shadow techniques manipulated sensitively blend into scenes decorated with a very personal style of elegance, sets of mirrors and figurines, statues and fancy dresses ... .. His work is marked not only by the subjects of his portraits but also for their environments, atmosphere and the subtle way to convey their views and sensitivity.
In 1930 he returned to London where he wrote his first book "The Book of Beauty." After making a trip to Hollywood where, thanks to his wit and taking advantage of the dazzling light of California and its picturesque chiaroscuro makes a series of portraits of great personalities of cinema as Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Gary Cooper, Henry Ford, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando Johnny Weissmuller and many more. And made many trips to Russia, Africa, Spain and Mexico, portraying Salvador Dalí and his wife Gala, Picasso or the Rolling Stones, among others.
died January 18, 1980 in Salisbury . Beaton said that the death had three shots on the table from his bed, which was most precious of his three lovers, two of them were a millionaire and patron of the arts Peter Watson and actress Greta Garbo.
