If there is one photographer that has shaped the 80’s visual landscape it’s Herb Ritts (together with Robert Mapplethorpe and . His strong black and white portraits and composition lead to a new cool and extremely pleasing aesthetic style.

When I flip thru some of his books or online galleries it’s amazing how many pictures you will recognize, either from magazine covers, pop albums or videos: Herb Ritts at Stanly Wise or a small biography.

Too bad he already died in 2002. Another sad loss.

Images: by the groundbreaking Herb Ritts