John Rawlings(Photographer, 1912-1970)

Self portrait of photographer John Rawlings(1912-1979)

John Rawlings (1912-1970) was a Condé Nast Publications fashion photographer from the 1930s through the 1960s.  Rawlings worked for Vogue and Conde Nast for over four decades, and left a significant body of work, including 200 Vogue magazine and Glamour magazine covers to his credit and 30,000 photos in archive, maintained by curator Kohle Yohannan.

Born in Ohio in 1912, John Rawlings went to New York after graduating from University. While working as a window dresser for big stores, he developed love for photography, and his talent was found by Conde Nast which hired him since 1936, where he worked along the elite circle of top Vogue photographers including Irving Penn, Horst P. Horst, George Hoyningen-Huene, and George Platt Lynes whose styles had influenced his early photography. But eventually he developed his own unique style, combining natural and artificial lighting as well as using reflective surfaces like mirrors to achieve dramatic effect.

Model Walking Down An Airplane Aisle, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Two models Leaning Out Of Cars, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Model Sitting On A Chevrolet Convertible, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Model By A Swimming Pool In Port-au-prince, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Dorian Leigh Wearing A Pale Pink Cloche, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Suzy Parker Wearing An Emilio Pucci Shirt, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

A model wearing a red velvet dress, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Two models wearing red bathing suits and red hats, velvet dress, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

A model in a white sleeveless shirt with grey pants, Vogue, 1944, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

A model in a lime green dress with yellow trim and belt, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

A model in a Wool Suit by Traina-Norell, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

A model illuminated by a faberge egg, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

A model applying lipstick, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Three Legs from Three Models Standing On A Shell, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

The photographer's recently rediscovered archive includes photographs of stage, screen, and society stars of the 1940s and 1950s, including Marlene Dietrich, Salvador Dalí, Veronica Lake, Bridget Bate Tichenor and Montgomery Clift.

Portrait of Marlene Dietrich, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Portrait of Veronica Lake, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979)

Portrait of Babe Paley in a wool coat, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979), 1941

Portrait of Babe Paley, Vogue, photo by John Rawlings(1912-1979), February 1946