Arthur Elgort

Arthur Elgort (born June 8, 1940) is an American fashion photographer best known for his work with Vogue magazine.

Life and career

Elgort was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Sophie (née Didimamoff) and Harry Elgort, a restaurant owner. He is of Russian-Jewish heritage. Raised in New York City, he attended Stuyvesant High School and Hunter College, where he studied painting.

He lives in New York City with his wife, Grethe Barrett Holby, who is a producer, stage director, choreographer, and dramaturge, and three children, including actor Ansel Elgort.

Elgort began his career working as a photo assistant to Gus Peterson. Elgort's 1971 debut in British Vogue created a sensation in the Fashion Photography world where his soon-to-be iconic "snapshot" style and emphasis on movement and natural light liberated the idea of fashion photography. In September 2008, he told Teen Vogue that he credited Mademoiselle for his big break: "They were really brave and gave me a chance. It was the first time I was shooting a cover instead of a half-page here or there."