This Friday’s Inspirational Person is Eve Arnold.
Every time I do an Inspirational Entrepreneur/Artist post I’m reminded of why i do them. Biography after biography, people like to state dates. I don’t like stating dates in my findings after learning about someone’s life.
Age? That’s something everyone can relate to. “in 1980” does not give nearly as tight of a connection to someone from history as “at age 68”.
68. That is the age Eve Arnold was when she was led to her first major solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum.
It’s so easy for people to give up and think they’re too old for something. THIS IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY. The leaders in my industry lived LIFE LONG careers. That gets me so excited. So hopeful. And keeps me humble and well-paced.
She is most known for her documentary photography of Marilyn Monroe on the set of “The Misfits”. Marilyn’s last movie before tragically dying of overdose. The images are so raw and telling and beautiful I hate to even give them stupid adjectives. You have to see them.
When I read that she had been hired by Magnum Photos, I went to their website. STILL. TO THIS DAY. Eve Arnold holds a spot on their HOME PAGE.
That home page feature linked to THIS ARTICLE which was one of my favorites in reading about and viewing Eve Arnold’s work.
Eve Arnold’s work was featured at five exhibitions at the Halcyon Gallery. four of which took place after her death. You can view info on those exhibitions here.
Beyond Marilyn, Eve Arnold photographed Queen Elizabeth II, Malcolm X, Joan Crawford, and many other celebrities. She was the first woman to be made a “full member” of the Magnum Agency working on Movie Sets. She also worked for LIFE and The Sunday Times Magazine.
“In 1995 (Age 83) she was made fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and elected Master Photographer – the world’s most prestigious photographic honour – by New York’s International Center of Photography.”
https://www.all-about-photo.com/photographers/photographer/69/eve-arnold
Born the fifth of nine children in 1912, Eve Arnold passed away in a nursing home at age 99 in London, January 4, 2012. Though well traveled, she spent most of her life in the U.K.
She has had twelve books published.
One of my favorite quotes of hers was when someone questioned her about her lack of studio lighting/flash. She responded by saying (not a direct quote but very close), “By the time you set that all up…the photo is gone.”
My way around this is to always have a light up during events. But if it’s not practical and a moment could be missed without it, in vanity for perfect light, you should always take the shot anyway. There’s more to work with than you think.
If someone can’t see past the grain to a beautiful moment, they’re missing the point entirely.
Thank you, for your contribution to my inspiration & photography history, Eve Arnold.
Eve Arnold
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