Cecil Beaton

"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary." - Cecil Beaton

Cecil Beaton (1904... – 1980) was recognized for his legendary photographs that evoked the glamorous and graceful spirit of his subjects. He covered the best of fashion and society for well-known magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair for the majority of his career. As talented as he was, he was also recognized for his brash and egotistical behavior. Capturing memorable images of icons, like Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth, didn't stop Beaton from ripping them to shreds with snarky commentary behind the scenes. The British Royals funded a large amount of Beaton's success, frequently employing him to take their family portraits. Yet he wasn't shy about his opinions of Princess Margaret, whom he stated wore her hair “scraped back like a seaside landlady.” Maybe if you're that great at what you do, you can get away with just about anything?!