Baron Adolf Gayne de Meyer was born in 1886, in a small town in Germany. He moved around a lot as a child and spent most of his days in Paris. He dreamed of becoming a photographer and never let go of his dream. When he was 14 years old, his work was published and used in exhibits in museums and studios during 1900-1910. When he was 27 years old, he lived in London where he became apart of the Royal Photographic Society and the Linked Ring. De Meyer's big break came when Alfred Stieglitz noticed his work and asked him to join the Photo-Secessionists. His work had a lasting effect on the group with his masterful lighting skills. One of de Meyer's largest accomplishments was his work in Vogue when in 1914, he was hired by Conde Nast. Baron also worked on Vanity Fair. When the magazine took a "new look," he left to become part of Harper's Bazaar in Paris. Throughout his life, de Meyer favored taking photographs of still-life. He developed a unique style of lighting to enhance the Romantic effect. His trick was to use many lights on the subject from all angles, while still using large-scale settings. Baron de Meyer was a master in lighting, styling and background settings as well as in the darkroom. He set up drapes, curtains, and lamps in the setting behind the subject to create the Romantic style. Baron de Meyer died in New York in 1946 at the age of 60.
|
