Erwin Blumenfeld

Drafted as an ambulance driver into WWI (wanted to desert but his mom reported him), then interned in prison camps for a year in WWII. Was influenced by Dada artists such as Man Ray and made Dadaist collages and artistic photos, pushing darkroom technique and making use of double exposures, sandwiched negatives, screens, veils, solarization, cutouts, high-contrast printing and more. Came to the attention of Cecil Beaton, who searched him out in Paris and introduced him to French Vogue. Shot fashion for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar while still experimenting and refusing to compromise his vision, became wealthy and famous. Had three children; his daughter Lisette often modeled for his work. Had affairs with younger women (one later married his son Henry) that eventually separated him from his wife. Wrote his autobiography from birth to imagined death, then induced his own heart attack to match (instead of suffering from what he thought might be cancer).