American photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe (1895-1989) is renowned for her role in integrating color into fashion editorials, particularly during her time at Harper's Bazaar magazine from 1936 to 1958. Her artistic vision shaped the overall tone of the publication and continues to set the standard for fashion photography today.
Dahl-Wolfe had a very distinct style, capturing subjects in full focus, usually outdoors in an exotic location. Her appreciation for light and composition came from her background as a painter. Dahl-Wolfe also created memorable portraits of influential celebrities, both established and up-and-coming, including president John F. Kennedy, film maker Orson Welles, designer Christian Dior and sculptor Isamu Noguchi. She is even credited for the discovery of iconic Hollywood starlet Lauren Bacall as a teenager, whose photo for the March 1943 cover of Harper's Bazaar landed the actress her first screen test.
Louise Dahl-Wolfe worked as a freelance photographer from 1958 until her retirement in 1960, contributing to publications such as Vogue and Sports Illustrated. Her groundbreaking techniques have inspired the work of photography legends such as Richard Avedon and Irving Penn. Louise Dahl-Wolfe spent her later years in New Jersey, before passing away in 1989 at the ripe age of 94.