Winston Churchill, 1951

Philippe Halsman (1906 – 1979) was an American portrait photographer, born in Riga to a Jewish couple and died in New York City. Halsman studied electrical engineering in Dresden when he in September 1928 was accused of his father's murder. Later released and in 1930 left for France. There he began contributing to fashion magazines such as Vogue and he soon gained a reputation as one of the best portrait photographers in France. Halsman was renowned for images that were sharp rather than in soft focus often used, and closely cropped. When France was invaded by Germany, Halsman managed to obtain a U.S. visa, aided by family friend Albert Einstein. He had his first success in America when the cosmetics firm Elizabeth Arden used his image of model Constance Ford against the American flag in a campaign for "Victory Red" lipstick. In 1941 Halsman met the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí and collaborate with him from late 1940s. In 1951 Halsman was commissioned by NBC to photograph various popular comedians of the time. Other celebrities photographed by Halsman include Alfred Hitchcock, Martin and Lewis, Judy Garland, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Dandridge, and Pablo Picasso.