IT WAS a rainy December day in New York City. Cabs and cars wooshed through the road grids, sending eddies of water onto the sidewalk. Wet concrete, trench coat collars up, and umbrellas clashing underneath. Don’t Walk signs halted in an orange haze. However, inside an Upper West Side studio it was a very different scene. Lofty ceilings filled with outbreaks of laughter and then pauses of silence in-between the shutter button being pushed. ‘Flash!’. And then enthusiastic conversation resumed. Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz was the subject of a portrait being lensed by Michael Avedon. A special project that took Deena full circle from her early and consistent adoration of the photographic works of one Richard Avedon, to working with his grandson. The inimitable family flair for portrait photography lives on. 

Jameel Mohammed, Jennifer Connelly, Misty Copeland, Mariacarla Boscono, and many more names have been photographed by Michael. Typically shot on black and white 35mm and medium format film; distilling a high magnitude of energy and character in 2D. A family signature, perhaps? While Michael was twelve when his grandfather, Richard, passed away, he recalls how Richard lived among his favorite works. The living room walls were covered in photos and mementos spanning decades of memories belonging to one of the world’s leading artists. It is interesting how familiar family spaces can become a crucible for what a child will become when they grow up.

In 2004 Richard Avedon passed away. His grandchild, Michael, was listed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2012 and graduated from the International Center of Photography in 2013. A legacy is not just work, it is also inclusive of family.

Written by Philippa Morgan.

READ more about Richard Avedon’s career here