INFLUENCERS | Fashion Photographer Peter Lindbergh Has Died, Age 74

Esteemed fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, often credited with the rise of the supermodel, died Tuesday at the age of 74, as announced in a post on his official Instagram account Wednesday.

Limbergh Is most renowned for his work with ’90 supermodels like Naomi Campbel, Kate Moss and Linda Evangelista, while he recently photographed women including climate activist Greta Thunberg, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, actor Salma Hayek Pinault and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for September 2019 issue of Britith Vogue guest – edited by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

The prolific photographer was known for his firm stance against re-touching. In the introduction to his 2018 photography book “Shadows on the Wall”, he wrote. ‘It should be a duty for every photographer working today to use his creativity and influence to free women and everyone from the terror of youth and perfection.”

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Lindbergh on September 3^rd 2019, at the age of 74”, the post on his Instagram read. “He is survived by his wife Petra, his first wife Astrid, his four sons Benjamin, Jermy Simon, Joseph and seven grandchildren. He leaves a big void”.

Born in Leszno, Poland in 1944, Lindbergh grew up in Duisburg, Germany. After studying at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts and the Krefeld College of Art, he turned to photography after buying a camera to capture his brother’s children.

He opened his first studio in Dussedorf in 1973, before moving to Paris to work for Vogue. His January 1990 cover shoot for British Vogue, featuring Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crowford, is considered by many to have launched the phenomenon of the supermodel.

Lindbergh went on to shoot three Pirelli calendars, in 1996, 2002 and 2017, photographing actors including Lupita Nyong’o, Helen Mirren and Uma Thurman.

Before working on Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s guest-edited edition of British Vogue, he photographed her for the cover of Vanity Fair in 2017. Earlier this year, he shot musician Rosalia for the cover of Vogue Espana, as well as model Gigi Hadid for Vogue Arabia.