Avedon's fashion photographs are characterized by a strong black-and-white contrast that creates an effect of austere sophistication. In his portraits of celebrities and other sitters, he created a sense of drama by often using a stark, white background and eliciting a frontal, confrontational pose.

One of Avedon's most well-known photographs is not of a famous public figure, but a beekeeper. Avedon sought out beekeeper Ronald Fischer to create this jarring photograph. The photo was achieved by spreading queen bee pheromone onto Fischer's skin, attracting a swarm of bees to descend upon his body.

After suffering a cerebral hemorrhage while on assignment for The New Yorker, Richard Avedon died in San Antonio, Texas on October 1, 2004. He established The Richard Avedon Foundation during his lifetime.

American fashion and portrait photographer, Richard Avedon, was known for breaking the photography boundaries in the fashion and political world.