He also photographed the Royal Family for official publication. He became one of Britain’s leading photographers. In 1938, he returned to England where he worked in the Ministry of Information. He worked for Vogue and Vanity Fair and even photographed celebrities in Hollywood. Cecil focused on staging a compelling model or scene and actually looked for the perfect shutter-release moment.Ĭecil is best known for his fashion photographs and society portraits. Throughout his career, he used both large format cameras and smaller Rolleiflex cameras. This went on until Vogue took him regularly in 1927. Early Career in PhotographyĬecil Beaton designed costumes for charity matinees and he learned the professional craft of photography at a studio. Before long, he left for New York and slowly built his reputation as a photographer there. At first, he tried to work in an office but this turned to be very frustrating since he did not enjoy the work. In 1925, he left college with his degree. He also continued his photography and through his contacts, he managed to get a portrait depicting the Duchess of Malfi published in Vogue. Here, he studied history, art, and architecture. When he became proficient, he sent the photos to various London society magazines.Ĭecil attended Harrow and then moved to St. Beaton often got his mother and siblings to sit for him. His nanny started teaching him the general basics of photography and film development. When he was growing up, his nanny had a camera – a Kodak 3A camera – which was the very model renowned for being the ideal equipment on which to learn. Cyprian’s School where his artistic talent was discovered. He was educated at Heath Mount School and St.

He was the son of a prosperous timber merchant. Early LifeĬecil was born on January 14, 1904. In 1970, he was added to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. Sir Cecil Beaton was a popular English fashion, portrait, and war photographer, painter, diarist, interior designer and costume designer. Reddish House, Broad Chalke, Wiltshire, England

The Unexpurgated Beaton by Cecil Beaton