Born 1918, Manhattan, New York
Died 2006


Newman grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Miami Beach, Florida. Initially interested in painting, he studied art at the University of Miami (1936–38) but left school to work for a photographic portrait studio based in Philadelphia (1938–39). He eventually opened his own portrait studio in Miami (1942) and later in New York City (1946). Newman frequented the Photo League throughout the 1940s but was never an official member. He worked in advertising and for popular magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, Life, and Fortune throughout the forties and fifties. He is often credited as the first photographer to use environmental portraiture, in which the figure is portrayed in his or her chosen environment, rather than against a blank ground or studio backdrop. Best known for his iconic portraits of celebrities, Newman photographed such luminaries as the composer Igor Stravinsky, several presidents, and countless authors, actors, and artists, from Pablo Picasso to Truman Capote to Marilyn Monroe. His work has appeared in numerous exhibitions and solo shows, including "Arnold Newman's Americans" at the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC (1992). He received the International Center of Photography's 1999 Infinity Award for Master of Photography, and the 2004 Lucie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Portrait Photography.