Frank Horvat – Still Rockin’

A Working Photographer

Frank Horvat is an internationally renowned fashion photographer, who’s now in his 90’s and celebrating seventy plus years of photography. Throughout these years he has not only embraced fashion photography, but his photographic journey included photojournalism, portraiture, landscape, nature,… and even sculpture. He is perhaps best known for his seemingly implulsive, yet technically brilliant work, that imbued a sophistication heretofore lacking in fashion photography. He’s led a really full life, in every sense of the phrase,…and he’s still going strong!

A 50’s Icon

It’s amazing how quickly we forget our roots, and fall all over the next shiny thing. I suppose that’s just human nature. It’s also amazing how many modern images still don’t realize the sheer emotion of a photograph from the 50’s and 60’s. He was born in Italy, (in what is now Croatia), in 1928. He started at age fifteen with a simple 35 mm Retinamat camera. By 1950 he was doing freelance work for Italian fashion magazines! (he was 22) It was Frank Horvat who was one of the photographer’s to apply the 35mm film camera and reportage techniques to fashion and art photography. He created a new and more realistic style that revolutionized the development of fashion-based photography in both European and American magazines. Almost like a fashion Henri Cartier-Bresson. This brought him to the spearhead of editorial work, and won him immediate success as a French fashion photographer. His photographs were in all the biggest magazines/periodicals of the time, including Life, Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and Jardin des Modes.

Magnum Exit

Originally, he was tied to Magnum, which ended up being a bad fit. Since he mostly “posed” his subjects, Magnum was really not the place for him. He eventually moved to Paris, and to this day, still divides his time between Paris and the south of France. Horvat’s work with portrait, fashion and street photography has been exhibited around the world and can be found in the permanent collections of numerous prestigious museums including Bibliothèque Nationale, Musée National d’Art Moderne, Kunst-bibliothek, Museum of Modern Art, and the George Eastman House, and numerous other collections.

From Rolleicord to Leica

When he changed over to a “professional” camera, he went for the Rolleicord. But in 1950 he met Henri Cartier-Bresson, who convinced him to switch over to a Leica. (M3)  In fact, the stealthy and fast captures ended up being more conducive to his vision.

The Only Thing to Stop Frank Horvat…

Not your Mama’s Grandpa. Now in his 90’s, he never seems to stop. Digital age? Bring it on. Website? Bring it on. Continuing books and exhibitions? Well,…you get the idea. Check out his website below,…and prepare to be amazed.

Website