Published by Silvana Editoriale. Text by Walter Guadagnini, Douglas Kirkland, Francoise Kirkland.
In 1961, the young Canadian-born photographer Douglas Kirkland (born 1934) was assigned to shoot Marilyn Monroe over several hours in a closed studio over the course of one night. Kirkland captured a stunning portfolio of alluring and intimate images that survive to this day as a testament to her beauty and vulnerability. This volume celebrates his astounding career.
Kirkland started out as an assistant to Irving Penn when he first moved to New York at the age of 24. After an early stint working for Look magazine, he joined Life as a staff photographer, working there throughout the ’60s and ’70s.
Known for his charming and gentle attitude, Kirkland has served as the only photographer on the sets of hundreds of films, from The Sound of Music to Titanic. His extensive archive of A-list portraits includes Elizabeth Taylor, Coco Chanel, Jack Nicholson, John Travolta, Michael Jackson, Brigitte Bardot, Andy Warhol, Naomi Campbell and Nicole Kidman.