Steven Meisel - Photographer

[Mchunu]

VH1 is a channel.

 

[BerlinRocks]

^^there used to be the VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards.
but i'm not sure there was a video category.

 

[cottonmouth13]

^miss those days of VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards..

 

[FashionTopFace]

ok im speculating that Steven will get the throne of greatest fashion photographer after Irving Penn. What do you all think? I been looking at his work and comparing etc and im saying yes! I hope so!

 

[cottonmouth13]

^for me, he has it now. he's the Irving Penn of this generation.

 

[testinofan]

mmmm Steven Meisel is a great photographer but no are in the same status of Avedon, Newton, Penn, and dont forget Helmut critic much time Meisel copy a lot your works are diferent epocas but Meisel have a long time to are the great photographers of the trio

 

[j'adorekapusta]

^ wow this is indeed one interesting notion. it's curious how Steven Meisel has become an almost unreachable icon in fashion photography. but has he really said something new artistically-wise? when you think of his contemporaries, from Inez&Vinoodh to Nick Knight to Steven Klein they all have their signature, something one can attribute to these people's work. but has there been something 100% Meisel? has he ever invented something within his visual or technical vocabulary? he's known as one genius reinterpetator of others' work, being able to make it relevant and upbeat to the zeitgeist. but is there distinctive Meisel's voice? and does a photographer needs to have one to be successful in the modern state of business?

 

[BerlinRocks]

^ wow this is indeed one interesting notion. it's curious how Steven Meisel has become an almost unreachable icon in fashion photography. but has he really said something new artistically-wise? when you think of his contemporaries, from Inez&Vinoodh to Nick Knight to Steven Klein they all have their signature, something one can attribute to these people's work. but has there been something 100% Meisel? has he ever invented something within his visual or technical vocabulary? he's known as one genius reinterpetator of others' work, being able to make it relevant and upbeat to the zeitgeist. but is there distinctive Meisel's voice? and does a photographer needs to have one to be successful in the modern state of business?

i think the way he "translates" his references is what is his genius.
and that's it. no signature. isn't it great to be free ?

 

[LegBaby]

I always think it's odd how everyone always says Meisel has no distinctive style. I mean, in most cases I can look at something straight away and recognise it as his. Plus I'd like to see Klein, I&V, Mert&Marcus or even somebody like Roversi try and take on the mammoth challenge of doing every single Vogue Italia cover - it would essentially just be the same thing again and again. Meisel occasionally revisits past themes, but is then accused of being unoriginal, uninispired or looking too much to the past.

I think his individual style can be seen more in campaigns than editorials, maybe because the number is less - Alberta Ferretti or Prada campaigns, for example, always have that distinctive Meisel feel.
As BerlinRocks said; the best, most important feature of Meisel's work is his ability to manipulate influences and work with them to make them his own - that makes him a great imitator perhaps, but I don't think that necessarily takes away from his importance as a photographer. I think he seems to understand that he works in fashion, and not "high" art - he clearly loves clothes and models especially, and is not as pretentious as say I&V IMO.

Finally, it seems to me that his true "signature" of sorts lies in his relationships with his models - no other photograper working today can time and time again bring out the very best of his subjects. There is this wonderful, organic nature to how his bond with his favourite models (Linda, Karen, Guinevere, Elise, Stam, Sasha and so on and so forth) develops. It makes his work have a personal, almost auto-biographical quality that's a joy to track. That's what makes this thread so interesting!

 

[j'adorekapusta]

^ thank you for your comment, LegBaby.
i have to agree with you, there is something Meisel about his imagery and you are totally spot on mentioning the amazing relationship he has had with models. this type of Meisel beauty, it does bring a personal touch to his work. but what interests me here, is how we can define his aesthetic? what makes an image a Meisel's image?
i've looked through his Vogue Italia cover stories from the late 90s - early 00s and i have to say there is some distinctive style there. maybe it's about composition and cropping of images that unite them (i'd say it's very cinematic way of photographing fashion). but there is also something about the very period of time (early 00s) when Steven produced quite a solid bunch of work. it wasn't until recently that his editorials has been so diversified. maybe they've gone a bit blockbuster, something to do with the highest expectations his work has to meet on a monthly basis, something you also mentioned. and if so, it's quite natural that he has to go down this road, with the amount of work he gets to deal with, it would be impossible for him to stay on one note.
being an admirer of his work i've never said it wasn't interesting or, as BerlinRocks put it, genius. i just ask these questions to make it clear for myself.

 

[Mchunu]

^Totally agree with your post, j'adorekapusta. I find the direction this conversation is taking really interesting.

I think Meisel is getting older and that eventually, he will resign as photographer of Italian Vogue..who knows when that may be, but eventually it will happen. And i think it will be Meisel's resignation that will make everyone realize just how much he has done for such a publication; There are some covers i see of Italian Vogue , despite all the controversy and lack of respect for Meisel's work by members here at time, i just know that it will grow to be iconic in a decade from now...his works will grow to be masterpieces. Wait & See. He has worked wonders for Italian Vogue.

All Hail.

 

[cottonmouth13]

^agreed. but it's kinda' scary right now to think that Meisel will eventually resign or let's have it in another term, retiring in fashion photography. i just think what would happen to Vogue Italia if there's no Meisel? sigh...i know that he would be retiring soon but as of now, i'm not yet ready (and i'm sure almost all of you) aren't yet ready for Meisel to retire.

 

[Royal-Galliano]

its gonna be fun when he leaves VI. because the mag is rubbish without his editorials and covers

 

[HeatherZ]

I can't even imagine a day when I suddenly find a Vogue Italia cover that's not shot by Meisel. To see a cover done by Meisel has become a habbit for me. I don't like the fact that one day he will retire, that's so sad.

 

[hfgl]

It'll be an horrible day for me when he quits,but let's hope he keeps on photographing 'til the end like Penn.
And i agree with everything LegBaby said.There most definitely is a Meisel signature.

 

[FashionTopFace]

mmmm Steven Meisel is a great photographer but no are in the same status of Avedon, Newton, Penn, and dont forget Helmut critic much time Meisel copy a lot your works are diferent epocas but Meisel have a long time to are the great photographers of the trio

Um i cant think of no one else right now who would fullfill that role of the greatest after those 3. He could get better of course, I hope he will compete with the highest level of fashion photography ever reached instead of whats going on right now. Also hes kind of like God, cause he can make the people he photographs a star.

 

[MissMagAddict]

The death of Penn marked the end of an era. Contemporary fashion photography would not exist today were it not for Penn, Avedon & Newton. They were the innovators... which is why they are so copied.

Look at Meisel's earlier work. It was clearly influenced by Avedon. But he broke away from that. Meisel was a stylist, a makeup artist & a fashion illustrator before he became a photographer. His work is all about discovering the next girl & the new trend which is why it's always changing. Meisel lives a very reclusive life. Whether that's intentional or not... I don't know.. but after his death he will be greatly celebrated. He already has his place in fashion history.

 

[hfgl]

Ugh,i can't even think about it without having a horrible pain in my chest.

 

[andrealiceagan]

Meisel is the best photographer right now

 

[FashionTopFace]

Meisel is the best photographer right now

I agree!