A model photographer

Most fashion photography sees women through the fantasy-fuelled gaze of men. But Ellen von Unwerth’s images present the female perspective for a change. Having worked as a model for ten years before turning photographer, von Unwerth is particularly well-qualified for the job. She knows not only how to make women look good, but how to celebrate their femininity, creating deeply stylish and sexy images that are kitsch, frolicsome and eroticised without ever being lascivious or objectifying. It’s no surprise that top glossies such as Vogue and Vanity Fair are so keen on her pictures; they are both of women and for women.

Holly Kyte