Exceptional work

Mark Seliger’s cover shot for the April 2010 issue of Harper’s Bazaar may have the benefit of one of America’s true beauties as subject, but the picture is incredibly reminiscent of one of the greatest fashion photographs ever taken and is quite superb in its own right:

Here is Seliger’s take on Demi Moore in a dress by the late Alexander McQueen:

Demi with giraffe

Surrealism, a superb setting, two gorgeous subjects …. and check out Demi’s shoes! The whole spread is tremendous but this cover is the showstopper.

And here is the original which inescapably comes to mind, illustrating Dior’s New Look in the late 1940s:

Dovima with elephants

To Seliger’s credit, his animal is free, unlike the chained-down ones Avedon used. Just check the elephants’ feet.

Sure, Harper’s, Vogue and Vanity Fair are celebrity obsessed, but they also attract the world’s best photographers which is as good a reason as any for subscribing. There is more great photography in those three monthlies than in all the artsy-fartsy black and white photography magazines for Real Photographers put together.