Deborah Turbeville has been one of the world‘s most important and recognized fashion photographers since the mid–1970‘s when her atmospheric images of small groups of female models in evocative locations first appeared. Her New England upbringing gave her an appreciation of weathered and storied environments, which is still reflected in her work today. She moved to New York City before she was 20 and worked for designer Claire McCardell, a major influence on her career. After working first as an editor at Harper‘s Bazaar and then Mademoiselle, Turbeville became a photographer, originating a highly distinctive style known for its soft–focus use of mise–en–scene and grainy, pointillist printing technique.
Her influential, cinematic work appears regularly in American, British, French, Italian and Russian Vogue, and L‘Uomo Vogue and W magazine, among others, and her work has been exhibited internationally. In 2006, a retrospective Deborah Turbeville: The Narrative Works 1974-1996 was presented at The Wapping Project (London). She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Lucie, the ICP Infinity Award, the Alfred Eisenstaedt Award, and the Fashion Group Lifetime Award for Fashion Photography. She has published several books, including her two most recent, Past Imperfect (Steidl, 2009), and Casa No Name (Rizzoli, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect, may be puzzling to those who like their answers on a plate. The pictures breach the fine line between a commercial fashion shoot and a pictorial work of art, for one thing. In the scenarios depicted the female models are cast as players whose role is ambiguous. As well, the photographer has reproduced her original archive in which many of the prints were torn, scratched and superimposed with sticky tape. She and her publisher, Steidl, spent four and a half years on the book, which is an edited compilation of work done between 1974 and 1997.
all the pics come from this two books past imperfect and Casa No name
Deborah Turbeville -From the exhibition Silent Scream ,Self portrait
Deborah Turbeville -From the exhibition Silent at Ralph Pucci
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009), may be puzzling to those who like their answers on a plate. The pictures breach the fine line between a commercial fashion shoot and a pictorial work of art, for one thing. In the scenarios depicted the female models are cast as players whose role is ambiguous. As well, the photographer has reproduced her original archive in which many of the prints were torn, scratched and superimposed with sticky tape. She and her publisher, Steidl, spent four and a half years on the book, which is an edited compilation of work done between 1974 and 1997.
Deborah Turbeville cover of the book Past Imperfect, 2009
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)-The Krakow story, Poland for W magazine 1998
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)- The Krakow story, Poland for W magazine 1998
Deborah Turbeville’s Mannequins 1974 [Clothes by Betsy Johnson
Woolf Form Dummy Factory in New York], from book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville’s book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville-Campagne Comme des Garçons at Vaux le Vicomte, France, for Parco, 1985 from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville-Campagne Comme des Garçons at Vaux le Vicomte, France, for Parco, 1985 from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville-from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville-from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville – Jean Muir and Models , 1973, in Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville-from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville – The Staircase: Commes des Garcons, Passage Vivienne, Paris, 1980, from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville – The Staircase: Commes des Garcons, Passage Vivienne, Paris, 1980, Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville-from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville-from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville-from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville- Rosana, Parco, Paris, 1980, from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville- Rosana, Parco, Paris, 1980, from the book of photographs, Past Imperfect,(ed• Steidl, 2009)
Deborah Turbeville- russian dancer from boris eifman ballet company, 1988, from Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville’s “Past Imperfect"
Deborah Turbeville-Rosima in Comme des Garçons at Vaux le Vicomte, France, for Parco, 1985
Deborah Turbeville, The Staircase – Aurelia Weingarten in Commes des Garcons, Passage Vivienne, Paris, 1980
Deborah Turbeville-Rosima in Comme des Garçons at Vaux le Vicomte, France, for Parco, 1985
Deborah Turbeville’s “Past Imperfect"-untitled , 1980
Deborah Turbeville- From série Versaille ,1970, from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville- from "Unseen Versailles" series , 1980
Deborah Turbeville -Versailles, boiseries dans la chambre de Mme Adelaïde, 1980
Deborah Turbeville- Versailles, 15 janvier 1980
Deborah Turbeville – fromEcole Des Beaux Arts, 1974/ 1980 from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville – fromEcole Des Beaux Arts, 1974/ 1980 from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville – fromEcole Des Beaux Arts,1974/ 1980 from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville,, planche contact,Ecole Des Beaux Arts,1974/ 1980 from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville – from serie Ecole Des Beaux Arts, 1974/ 1980 from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville – from serie Ecole Des Beaux Arts, 1974/ 1980, from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville – from serie Ecole Des Beaux Arts, 1974/ 1980, from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville – from serie Ecole Des Beaux Arts, 1974/ 1980, from “Past Imperfect
Serie Wallflower Deborah; Israel, Marvin; Morgan, Kate Turbeville (Hardcover – 1978)
Deborah Turbeville, Wallflower, 1978, from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville, Wallflower, 1978,from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville- from ‘Bathhouse Series’ by for Vogue, 1975, in Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville- from ‘Bathhouse Series’ by for Vogue, 1975, in Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville- vogue Us, august 1970, from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville for vogue 1995, from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville – Kasia and Audrey, Cantor Theater, Kraków, Poland
for the Magazine: W 1997,from “Past Imperfect
Deborah Turbeville, L’Heure Entre Chien et Loup:Clothing by Blumarine, VOGUE I,from “Past Imperfect
from the book Deborah Turbeville: Casa No Name, 2009
from the book Deborah Turbeville: Casa No Name, 2009
