Richard Avedon was an American photographer and portrait artist who is best known for his fashion photography and portraits of celebrities, politicians, and other notable figures. He was born in 1923 and began his career as a photographer in the 1940s. He worked for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue magazines and was one of the first photographers to use the white background in his photographs. He was also known for his iconic black-and-white portraits of famous people, such as Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol. Avedon's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and books, and he was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2003.