William (Bill) Helburn (b. 1924) is an American fashion photographer, and contemporary of Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Francesco Scavullo, and Lillian Bassman. He was at the top of his profession from the early 1950s through the 1960s, with bylined covers and editorial images in the pages of Harper's Bazaar, LIFE, McCall's, and many other magazines.
Helburn also worked extensively in advertising, contributing memorable pictures to campaigns designed by such legendary art directors as Gene Federico, Robert Gage, Helmut Krone, and George Lois.
Throughout his career Helburn strove to grab the viewer's attention, contextualizing his models in images that jumped off the page. Helburn's first work in photography came at the close of World War II, when he was part of the team that processed the first pictures of the atom bomb exploding over Hiroshima.
Inspired soon after by then-partner Ted Croner's encounter with model Lisa Fonssagrives posing naked on skis, Helburn entered the fashion world in 1947, shooting neophyte models like Grace Kelly and Tippi Hedren, while studying graphic design with legendary art director Alexey Brodovitch.
Helburn became a successful director of TV Commercials in the early 1980s. He left the industry a decade later to raise his children, and currently resides in New England.
These stunning photos are part of his work that Helburn shot famous beauties in the 1950s and 1960s.
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| Classic beauties taken by William Helburn in the 1950s and 1960s |
Helburn also worked extensively in advertising, contributing memorable pictures to campaigns designed by such legendary art directors as Gene Federico, Robert Gage, Helmut Krone, and George Lois.
Throughout his career Helburn strove to grab the viewer's attention, contextualizing his models in images that jumped off the page. Helburn's first work in photography came at the close of World War II, when he was part of the team that processed the first pictures of the atom bomb exploding over Hiroshima.
Inspired soon after by then-partner Ted Croner's encounter with model Lisa Fonssagrives posing naked on skis, Helburn entered the fashion world in 1947, shooting neophyte models like Grace Kelly and Tippi Hedren, while studying graphic design with legendary art director Alexey Brodovitch.
Helburn became a successful director of TV Commercials in the early 1980s. He left the industry a decade later to raise his children, and currently resides in New England.
These stunning photos are part of his work that Helburn shot famous beauties in the 1950s and 1960s.
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| Joanna McCormick, photo by William Helburn, 1951 |
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| Dorian Leigh, photo by William Helburn, 1955 |
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| Suzy Parker poses lying in a bed with white linens, cosmetic advertisement for Revlon, New York, circa 1955 |
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| 'Dovima Under the El' ('Dior Creates Cosmopolitan Drama'), photo by William Helburn, 1956 |
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| Norman Norell and Dovima wearing his Roman-striped version of his famous sequin evening gown, photo by William Helburn, LIFE, October 8, 1956 |
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| Barbara Mullen poses in front of black Rolls-Royce with red canoe, photo by William Helburn, New York, 1957 |
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| Lucinda Hollingsworth in Supima Cotton ad, photo by William Helburn for Douglas Simon, off Westhampton Beach, New York, 1959 |
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| Broken Bulb, Deborah Dixon for Helene Curtis, photo by William Helburn for Altman-Stoller, 1960 |
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| Angela Howard, photo by William Helburn for Altman-Stoller, 1962 |
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| Suzy Parker, photo by William Helburn, Acapulco, Mexico, 1962 |
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| Anne de Zogheb and unidentified male at Julian’s Billiard Academy, New York, McCall’s, photo by William Helburn, March 1963 |
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| Unidentified model for hosiery advertisement, photo by William Helburn, 1963 |
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| 'From the Famous Shirtmaker for Men,' Jean Shrimpton, Lady Van Heusen, 1964. For Altman, Stoller. Photograph by William Helburn |
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| 'If You Can’t Go South Go Borg,' Jean Shrimpton, Wall Street, Borgana, 1964. For Douglas Simon. Photograph by William Helburn |
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| Jean Shrimpton poses in a Lady Van Heusen shirt-blouse, New York, circa 1964 |
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| Jean Shrimpton, photo by William Helburn, Westhampton, New York, 1964 |
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| Jean Shrimpton, photo by William Helburn, Westhampton, New York, 1964 |
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| Jean Shrimpton, photo by William Helburn, Westhampton, New York, 1964 |
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| Lauren Hutton, advertisement for John Begg Ltd., photo by William Helburn, circa 1964 |
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| Romana Swann for Supima Cotton, photo by William Helburn, Central Park, 1964 |
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| 'Sea of Waves,' Deborah Dixon, Helene Curtis, 1960. For Altman, Stoller. Photograph by William Helburn |
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| Angela Howard Helburn for White Owl cigar advertisement, photo by William Helburn, 1965 |
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| Angela Howard, photo by William Helburn, 1965 |
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| Camilla Sparv, photo by William Helburn, for Cover Girl Medicated Lipstick by Noxema ad campaign, 1965 |
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| Dorothea McGowan for White Owl advertisement, test shot, New York, photo by William Helburn, 1965 |
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| Angela Howard, photo by William Helburn, Texas Gas Transmission Corp., 1966 |
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| Joey Heatherton, photo by William Helburn, 1966 |
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| Sandra Hilton, Kayser-Roth, photo by William Helburn for Altman-Stoller, 1966 |
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| Agneta Darin and Kathy Haynes, photo by William Helburn, 1967 |
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| Jean Shrimpton, 'Bridesmaid', photo by William Helburn, 1967 |
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| Sharon Tate, photo by William Helburn, Esquire, 1967 |
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| Sunny Griffin, photo by William Helburn, Braniff Airways, 1967 |
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| Veronica Hamel, photo by William Helburn, 1967 |
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| Wilhelmina, Sharon Tate, Josephine Attominoff (the photographer's stylist) and Jean Shrimpton, photo by William Helburn, 1967 |
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| Angela Howard, photo by William Helburn, 1968 |
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| Cheryl Tiegs, 'Scotch' Hair Set Tape, 3M, photo by William Helburn, 1968 |
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| Jennifer O'Neill, photo by William Helburn, 1968 |
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| Nati Abascal, photo by William Helburn, 'The Fulfillment of Natividad Abascal', Esquire, February 1968 |
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| Samantha Jones in Monet Jewelry advertisement, photo by William Helburn, 1968 |
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| Samantha Jones, photo by William Helburn, 1968 |
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| Angela Howard Helburn in fashion editorial for McCall's, New York, circa 1960s |
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| The 'Dresshirt' by lady Van Heusen, Lauren Hutton, photo by William Helburn for Altman-Stoller, circa 1960s |
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| Beate Schulz poses in a pine wood for a fashion advertisement test shot, Miami Beach, 1969 |
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| Beate Schulz, Lipstick and Watermelon, photo by William Helburn, Miami, 1969 |
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| Model Sunny Griffin, photo by William Helburn, 1969 |
