Erwin Blumenfeld In Video
Photograph and Vogue cover illustration, Erwin Blumenfeld, 1951
Below are two compelling short films that explore the life and legacy of Erwin Blumenfeld—one of the most inventive and enigmatic figures in 20th-century commercial photography.
The first, a feature-length documentary produced by Blumenfeld’s grandson, traces his rise from European exile to one of the world’s highest-paid fashion photographers. The film reveals a complex, obsessive artist whose career shaped the look of modern fashion photography—yet whose name has largely faded from public view since his mysterious death in 1969.
"It’s a documentary telling the gripping and shocking story of photographer Erwin Blumenfeld, who survived two world wars to become one of the world’s most highly paid fashion photographers... The first ever film about his life and work uses exclusive access to Blumenfeld’s extensive archive of stunning photographs, fashion films, home movies and self-portraits to tell of a man obsessed by the pursuit of beautiful women, but also by the endless possibilities of photography itself."
— Watch the documentary (via YouTube)
The second video, produced by NOWNESS, offers a stylized montage of Blumenfeld’s most experimental moving image work. It captures his technical precision, surrealist leanings, and flirtation with abstraction—hallmarks that have inspired generations of fashion photographers.
Together, these films offer a vivid portrait of commercial photographic practice at mid-century: equal parts glamour, chaos, and avant-garde experiment. They also raise important questions about the politics of reputation—why some photographers are remembered, and others are not.
