Sexual harassment and abuse are real within the industry; there's no denying that. By now, I am sure you have heard about the Hollywood news and all the allegations against Producer Harvey Weinstein coming out, spanning over decades where he used his power and influence on models and actresses to get away with sexual misconduct. Weinstein isn’t the only one in the industry facing these accusations, and it seems like more allegations are coming out, including ones against Terry Richardson.
For years, Mr. Richardson has denied allegations of sexual exploitations amongst models. You have probably seen some of his work, which has graced the covers of fashion magazines and various outlets. His style is sort of a “trash lighting” look while being sexually explicit. I have never really been a fan of his work; I just think he’s a glorified GWC (guy with camera) that tries to get as sexually provocative as he can in his images.
With all the controversy within Hollywood, it seems like it's finally time where they are cracking down on people using their influence to get away with sexual harassment. The company who is in charge of Vogue, GQ, Glamour, Vanity Fair, and Wired has put a stop to using any work from Mr. Richardson. You can read more about this via Telegraph News.
Lead image by Dave Tada, used under Creative Commons.
about f*ing time
well damn, it looks like there are actually some changes being made
The 2 rules of Photography:
#1: Don't touch the model
#2: see #1
Rule # 1 is don't be a dick
And it looks like you forgot to follow it.
I'm disappointed that it took this long, but glad to hear that some people are waking up. Now if they would just open their eyes a little wider...
Strange that it took years of sexual assault claims to bring this guy down. I always thought it would have been his 1984 era "polaroid-style" crap-flash photography that did him in. But in reality, it made him millions.
Obviously I know very little about "good" photography.
He needs to share a cell with Harvey....
I regret some of the comments made here...the appeal/quality of his work shouldn't be in question. Just leave it at the behaviour.
While we are at it...allegations were made against him. NO charges or convictions were levied.
I guess you don't get it then. No woman should be subjected to any of the crap that many suffered at the hands of these despicable human beings.
Or maybe you don't know how to read.
I understand what you wrote.
He is quoted as saying "It's not who you know, it's who you blow. I don't have a hole in my jeans for nothing." And he has admitted he has made models sleep with him to get a photo shoot.
People say all kinds of stupid sh*t for shock effect. I don't dispute that he did anything. My point is none of the allegations have been proven in court. Unless you have heard different from a judge then we should restrict our comments. Slander and libel are very nasty things to defend yourself in court over.
He admitted he interacted with models in a sexually explicit manner during photoshoots. I don't need to prove anything, his own spokesperson came out and said yes, he admits to doing it. Taking someone at their own word about their actions and behaviors is not slander or libel.
Not like they had a choice. He worked for a lot of magazines and they probably hired him and sent the models to be chased around the room. He's a gateway like Harvey that women feel they have to go through to make it. And I'm sure like Harvey he let them know that. More the new models or actresses that want to reach the level others have. The only difference between the two is that one took pics and put out a book about it. (and still nobody waved a red flag or stopped hiring him).
And forget the photographers you read about in the paper. A few months back a cosplay photographer was called out by a 14 year old girl that said he was asking for nude selfies so he could see how he would light her. If the earth was square, we could push all these guys off but it's not so best thing is to educate women before they run into this.
Women run into this regularly, so maybe educate men not to do it might be even better. Pretty simple, keep your hands off the model and don't rape.
FYI , Tony Richardson is not "just glorified a guy with a camera portraying people in trash lighting". He has really great commissioned works and editorials. And it was even featured on fstoppers ! https://fstoppers.com/fashion/terry-richardson-you-dont-know-1526
Still, being sexually professional (if true) is an entire other matter. We agree on that.
Retouchers did a bang up job fixing those natural light and on camera flash pics for him.
As they do to most pictures that make it to publication... :)
Thank you for writing this article.
I hate to say this, and I really hope that this is not the case, but this seems to be a move of connivence. I say this for a couple of reasons. One, currently there is a great movement on to not tolerate this alleged behavior. On that side I totally applaud the move. No one should ever be subjected to any form of sexual harassment. However, as mentioned before many have mentioned his style, which (while not for everyone) is definitely become dated over time. I really hope this isn't the case that it's really just a case of using the more serious allegation as a reason to just change artistic styles. ( i hope that makes some sense).
Never understood how this guy got so big and rich. His work sucks and is often only saved by his retouchers.
I couldn't agree with you more.
There are predators at most big agencies who team up and work out deals with the 'Terry Richardsons' in photography and abuse the models one way or another.
Now for the modeling agencies. They are the ones who continued to send him young, naive women with stars in their eyes, knowing damn well that he was a predator.
A lot of similar cases are appearing now. Bill Cosby, Jimmy Savile, in the Lindy Hop scene, which I'm into, Maz Pitruzzella, a famous dancer has now 5 accusations from sexual harassment committed over years past.
The question is, why now? All the cases reflect sexual harassment over years. Social sensibility is changing now faster than ever due to internet communication miracle. Today we can see old films like Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter" which if they were made today, probably raise hell. Conclusion: They are appearing now because the societies sensibility is changing and are now less permissive to this type f conduct, which is great. But does that mean too, that before we, society, permit that conduct.
What does this mean? Well, it means that we all are responsible. In the Pitruzella case which I have near, this guy did not hide or felt responsible because is conduct was one way or another approved for a lot of persons, even encourage, and permitted for a lot of others who don't approve but didn't do anything about it. In these circumstances is not strange that the victims feel unprotected and vulnerable.
A lot of close friends of Pitruzzella tried when the first allegations come out, to excuse Max and take weight away from the accusations. "oh come on, is Max! you know him!". This detail says a lot about the general circumstances in which these things happen. They don't happen out of the blue. There's have to have a culture that nourishes these conducts. And we all take part on that. We all have the responsibility to change it.
Again with Max case, when the allegations became serious, almost if not all his friends abandoned him. He became toxic. The same people that encouraged him firs in his misbehavior, now don't talk to him or even attack him publicly, because this community is small and everyone knows each other.
Max, without been sentenced for a judge, can't work anymore in the thing that he worked all his life, he lost sponsors and get banned from ballrooms and festivals, and practically lost an all life's work and achievements. Max is a victim too here.
Now I don't approve his conduct or say that he should walk clean from this. I say that no one should be punished without going through a trial. Internet is dangerous, remember everyone Andrea Polito case? She won in the end but she lost his work and suffered a lot in the process. I say that every one of us is responsible, we can´t condemn one of these persons without condemning the environment who creates them. I say that is everyone's work to change the situation and make a better world.
Look how successfully deal with bullying in Finland:
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/11/health/finland-us-bullying-prevention-...
This is what I mean. Don't think about the abuser like the bad weed. Don't separate him from the rest of us, understand the phenomenon, take responsibility, and then we can deal with the problem efficiently instead of condemning one person which really is the symptom of a bigger desease
I just saw this fstoppers article from 2014. If you check out the comments to the article, clearly reflect what I said:
https://fstoppers.com/other/terry-richardson-speaks-out-allegations-7971
As a fashion photographer, I've always stated to each and every model that I've worked with to please bring one other person they trust to the photoshoot. That quickly makes the model feel comfortable and at ease. Each and every one of the models that I've worked with has always said afterwards that they appreciated that the first thing that I mentioned was to bring a trusted friend to the photoshoot. It always brings out the best in a model when they feel safe and at ease. Terry Richardson is a dirtbag that learned how to press the shutter speed of a camera with a flash on top. So happy that this scum is being taken out of our respective and creative field. Shame on all those magazines that for DECADES have let him do this to models after dozens and dozens of disgusting accusations and the fact that they are 'banning' him now is that they want to 'appear' that they actually care about the models and stand against sexual harassment. They don't. Shame on any so called photographer that tries to justify or defend his actions by blaming it on the models. Chances are, you are just like him.