NINA LEEN, MASTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Posted on September 3, 2012 by Isabella Cecconi
There are many images that come to my mind when I think of masters of Photography. I don’t know why, but I always look back in times. I adore contemporary photography but to me, master is equal to past. What can I say about Nina Leen then? To start I can say that she was one of the first women photographers at Life Magazine. She was Russian-born who lived in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and lately US. Through her career as photographer she has been reporting a surprising amount of insight into the post world war period. Housewives, working girls, fashion, Upper East Side socialites, glamorous women, mannequins. Her work has been an interesting study on femininity,and photojournalism. A research of public versus private. When in 1945, Leen joined LIFE, she started producing magnificent pieces of art, producing over 40 covers for the magazine. Along with her portraits of American life Leen’s photographed animals too with a unique ability to see details of the natural world in unexpected ways. Leen was modern, perfect in shooting, true and most of all ageless. Nina Leen’s pictures portray the elegant days, the stunning glamour of a unique eye. The real beauty being captured on women in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.
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