Lillian Bassman with love

Two photographs by Lillian Bassman

The woman behind these lovely photographs and many many more

Lillian Bassman

Lillian Bassman was born in 1917 into an immigrant family of free-thinking intellectuals, and was brought up with a mindset that allowed her to live as an independent and unconventional woman.
Before Lillian Bassman came to work at Harper's Bazaar with Alexey Brodovitch, and ultimately becoming a photographer, she worked as a textile designer and fashion illustrator. Her photography was ultimately categorized by their elegance and grace, appearing in 1940's to the 1960's, .

Bassman's fashion images acheieved their effect through manipulation in the dark room. Bassman had transformed these photographs into original works of art through her darkroom techniques in which she blurs and bleaches the images, investing them with poetry, mystery, and glamour