Our new column, From Monica’s Archives, features photographs from the period in which Monica was spending her days solely as a black and white film photographer. While she still shoots this way, the movement into the digital age has made the use of film by most photographers much more of a rarity – making the photos in her archives very special.

This photograph is arguably one of her most recognizable – and one of our favorites. The Girl at the Gate was the inspiration for Monica Rich Kosann’s very popular Gate Collection, in which an open locket sits behind a sterling silver or 18K gold and diamond gate. Though the girl is partially covered by the dark, contrasting gate, her eyes are the focal point of this photo. They tell an entire story only we can create in our imaginations, making this photo extremely powerful.

]]> http://www.mrkstyle.com/2011/10/from-monicas-archives-the-girl-at-the-gate/feed/ 0 http://www.mrkstyle.com/2011/10/iconic-image-self-portrait-by-richard-avedon/ http://www.mrkstyle.com/2011/10/iconic-image-self-portrait-by-richard-avedon/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:12:52 +0000 RodKosann http://www.mrkstyle.com/?p=14629

This iconic self portrait of Richard Avedon stopped us in our tracks. Avedon was and is one of the most famous portrait photographers of our time. He had the ability to capture the true essence of his subjects with just a simple, minimal portrait – and he himself was no exception.

Most of the photos taken of Marilyn Monroe portray her as the perfectly posed bombshell that she was famous for being. Here, it feels like the photographer snuck backstage and caught her off-guard when she was just having a cigarette like anyone else. This photo lets you connect with the real Marilyn, and for that we find it to be not only iconic, but thrilling to see.

Photo from Corbis Images.

This photo of Michael Caine was taken in 1965 by relatively unknown photographer Stephen C. Archetti. At the time, he was dubbed by GQ as the “Eastender (who) put the idea of working class Brit Cool on the map.” That statement embodies why this image is so powerful. Never has anyone looked so cool while reading the newspaper. Archetti captured Caine as he was: a true icon.

Photo: Getty Images

Despite the digital revolution, we’ve still got a passion for the work of the great film photographers. Lovers of iconic 20th century imagery should not miss Elliott Erwitt at New York’s International Center of Photography, up through August 28th. This large-scale retrospective showcases the career of photographer and filmmaker Elliott Erwitt, who is also the the recipient of this year’s ICP Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement.

If you’re not already familiar with his name, you’ll certainly recognize his work: Erwitt is the creator of some of the most memorable documentary work of the the twentieth century; his portrait subjects include Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, and Che Guevara. He is also a relentless documentarian of everyday life. On view at ICP are over 100 of Erwitt’s self-chosen favorite images from the past sixty years, plus previously unseen and unpublished prints from his early career.

Vintage black-and-white photography is part of the DNA of MRKstyle and Monica Rich Kosann’s photography. We’re always on the lookout for those stylish images from the past that speak to us.

The ’60s-era singer, Francoise Hardy, is a favorite not just for her romantic and soulful voice but for her flair for fashion. Quintessentially French is Hardy’s effortlessly cool look, based on chic classics like the check-lined trench and turtleneck paired with mod details like the white-frame glasses seen here. The fact that she’s carrying a little point-and-shoot camera only makes us love this image more, as it’s a picture of a woman on the street amid the passionate yet everyday act of capturing a moment.

Despite the fact that this picture was taken half a century ago, it’s just as relevant today–and that’s what we call an iconic image.

Photo: Getty Images

Case in point: These black and white images from a 1971 yearbook that belonged to a young woman in Richmond, Virginia (via the amazing Need Supply blog).

“Miss Legs 1971″

“Sophomore”

There are so many stories and moods captured in these low-grade snapshots. It reminds us there is a reason to hang onto those yearbooks after all and maybe even copy and frame a few of the images inside.

Images: via Need Supply Blog and Lauren Stewart Design

As a photographer with a passion for film, I’ve had my skepticism about digital smartphone camera apps, which promise to give amateurs the ability  to whip up pro-looking photos with clever trickery, readymade filters and a couple clicks of the buttons. Would these instant gratification high-tech apps allow for real creativity, I wondered? The answer, I discovered on a recent trip to Paris, is yes.

While playing with my Hipstamatic app at a cafe, I used the plastic, weather-proofing curtain hanging around the cafe as another layer over the lens. The result was these pictures, which have an interesting early 1900s nostalgia to them—reminiscent of old gum bichromate prints.

It’s the tech version of taking Plexiglass and smearing Vaseline around the edges to create a romantic and soft focus. I love taking something modern and making it feel vintage.

Invite Curiosity For those of you who are super organized,  your neatly stacked scrapbooks of family vacations (events) on that side table in the living room is still a great conversation starter.  Guests are bound to notice and ask, “What’s in there?” You will have no choice but to bring them out and start storytelling.

For more information on LIVING WITH WHAT YOU LOVE and all the decorating tips that made it in the book, click here.

[Photography by Steven Randazzo]