Photography Inspiration: Get To Know Herb Ritts

You’ve probably seen the photography of Herb Ritts. He’s the photographer who  made Madonna wear Micky Mouse ears and  that haunting Jack Nicholson photo as the mad Joker for the Batman film.

The celebrated American fashion photographer specialized in black and white photography. His portraits are pattered after classical Greek sculpture. Ritts is also famous for his glamour photography where celebrities and models are often captured glamorously pose nude.

Ritts was born and grew up in Los Angeles California. He started a career in furniture before moving to New York and majoring in art history. He ventured into photography in the 70s when he and his friend Richard Gere, then starting his acting career, did a photoshoot with him.

He commenced to do portraits for magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Interview and Rolling Stone magazine. Ritts was also responsible for ad campaigns such as Calvin Klein, Chanel, DKNY, Armani and Gap to name a few.

Ritts also directed numerous award winning music videos and commercials.

According to his official website  “Herb Ritts was drawn to clean lines and strong forms. This graphic simplicity allowed his images to be read and felt instantaneously. They often challenged conventional notions of gender or race. Social history and fantasy were both captured and created by his memorable photographs of noted individuals in film, fashion, music, politics and society”.

Ritts was committed to HIV/AIDS related causes, and contributed to many charitable organizations, among them amfAR, Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Project Angel Food, Focus on AIDS, APLA, Best Buddies and Special Olympics . He was also a charter member on the Board of Directors for The Elton John Aids Foundation.

Herb Ritts passed away on December 26th, 2002.