Lee Friedlander is an American photographer who appeared on the scene in the 1960s and 70s. Friedlander is often credited with helping establish the photo movement called social lqandscape photography, which shares much of its aesthetic with street photography.
Friedlander attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA and moved to New York in the 1950s where he photographed jazz musicians for their record covers. He’s sort of notorious for some nude photos he took in the late 1970’s of a not yet famous Madonna, which ended up appearing in Playboy in 1985.
But what I love most are Friedlander’s self-portraits. I love that he’s made them consistently throughout his life and the best ones have a cinematic quality that appeals to me. If I’m still around in my 80’s I guess more than likely I’ll be making self-portraits too. Hopefully they’ll be even half as good.
Check out MOMA’s great collection Friedlander’s work.
