Arthur Elgort

Arthur Elgort (b. 1940) has stylistic freedom that allows the spontaneous energy and joy of the moment to be expressed through an image. His photographs have the unforced look of a personal snapshot, yet they simultaneously serve as iconic chronicles of contemporary culture. As one of the first fashion photographers to depict models in more natural and unpredictable settings—with little makeup and often outdoors—Elgort helped define the visual language of late 20th-century fashion. His images of supermodels such as Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell for magazines and campaigns brought a new sense of vitality to the genre.

Born and raised in New York City, Elgort initially trained as a painter, but found photography better suited his desire for human connection and immediacy. His early work photographing ballet dancers revealed his sensitivity to movement, which would go on to shape his dynamic, improvisational style. Elgort gained widespread attention in 1971 when British Vogue published his playful images of a model with a dog—ushering in a new era of fashion photography that embraced informality and spontaneity.

Elgort’s hallmark was liberating models from rigid, posed compositions, encouraging motion, interaction, and authentic expression. During shoots, he often moved with his subject, creating what he described as a kind of dance—constantly talking and clicking the shutter until natural, candid moments emerged. “He just sort of keeps talking and shooting, and eventually the models’ defenses break down and they’re just quite happy to leap over a wall,” said his longtime collaborator Grace Coddington. Elgort’s images are filled with buoyancy and warmth, informed by his keen eye for gesture and his ability to capture fleeting, joy-filled moments.

Over his decades-long career, Elgort has produced iconic work for Vogue, Rolling Stone, Glamour, and GQ, and has helped shape the careers of fashion’s most legendary models, including Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, and Naomi Campbell. His work is held in the permanent collections of institutions including the International Center of Photography in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Elgort continues to live and work in New York, where he remains a vital figure in contemporary photography.