John French was one of the top fashion photographers in London during the 1950s and 1960s, his work appearing in virtually every magazine and newspaper. French was born in Edmonton, London in 1907. He studied at Hornsey School of Art from 1926 to 1927, and in 1930 left London to study painting in Italy. French returned to England in 1936, where he worked as a freelance illustrator for The Daily Express. He eventually set up his own studio in 1948, working with major publications like Vogue, Tattler, and Vanity Fair.
French took very few photographs himself, preferring to work more closely with composing his models, and having his assistants take the actual photograph. David Bailey and Terence Donovan were both at one time his assistants. French always had the end product in mind when conducting a shoot, creating low-contrast well composed prints with little or no need for delicate details. This ensured that his prints would look good on even cheap newsprint. To create these low-contrast or ‘high key’ images, French conducted shoots in daylight, using reflector boards instead of using popular Tungsten lighting. The majority of French’s photographs were minimalistic, and were taken against clean, uncluttered backgrounds. His work was elegant, pristine, and stylish.
French’s Work
Tania Mallet in stiffened net hat
For me this image is the epitome of elegance and style. The soft lighting, simplicity, and Mallet’s pose all work together to produce a beautiful image that draws in the viewer. The white background also forces the viewer to focus on Mallet and the accessories she wears.
Tania Mallet in feathered hat
The lighting in this image of Mallet is perfect, drawing attention to all the right details, and producing no shadows. French has also paid a lot of attention to the composition of this image, framing Mallet’s head, face, and hand so that the focus is on her beauty and the accessories she is wearing. She has also been posed with her gloved hand gently touching her ear lobe, drawing attention to the earring she wears.