“You will fall in love with that light-it’s Herb’s light”, said Naomi Campbell once, referring to Herb Ritt’s ability to use the natural light while taking pictures. Born in Los Angeles in 1952, Herb started his career as art as well as a commercial photographer. Though he did not receive any formal training in photography, he still managed to give his work a strong identity. Brits, unlike many studio-based photographers of the time, preferred to work outdoors and had very simple equipment requirements, often working without a tripod. The “anti- glamour” photographer, Brit photographed his supermodels outside to make use of the natural afternoon Los Angeles light, often at the beach or in the desert.

Known for his graphic simplicity, Brit got his big break in 1979. He photographed the then-budding star, Richard Gere. The images were published in Vogue, Esquire and Mademoiselle all in the same month. What followed, stamped him as a celebrity in his own right. From Chanel, Armani, Ralph Lauren to Versace, he shot campaigns for some of the biggest labels.

What made Brit unique was his knack to capture some fashion’s facade through his frame and make it seem effortless.  His black and white portraits of 90’s supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz and Stephanie Seymour have become his mark of distinction. The iconic 1989 photo of all the supermodels huddling together is a reference point in fashion photography.

With the success of “Herb Ritts: Super, ” a retrospective featuring American photographer’s work, the Hamiltons Gallery in London has announced “Herb Ritts: Super Part II. It will feature another selection of rare vintage gelatin silver prints of 90’s supermodels. The exhibition will run through March 10.