Ellen von Unwerth

Ellen von Unwerth, Paris 2003

Ellen von Unwerth (born 1954 in Frankfurt, Germany) is a photographer and director, specializing in erotic femininity. She worked as a fashion model for ten years herself before moving behind the camera, and now makes fashion, editorial, and advertising photographs.

Ellen von Unwerth found fame when she first photographed Claudia Schiffer. Her work has been published in top magazines like Vogue, Vanity Fair, Interview, The Face, Arena, Twill, L'Uomo Vogue and I-D, and she has published several books of photography. She won first prize at the International Festival of Fashion Photography in 1991.

Von Unwerth did promotional photography for Duran Duran from 1994–1997 and did some photography for their 1990 album Liberty and 1997 album Medazzaland. Her work has been seen on other album covers, such as Bananarama's Pop Life (1991), Cathy Dennis' Am I the Kinda Girl? (1996), Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope (1997), British R&B group All Saints' Saints & Sinners (2000), singer-songwriter Dido's Life for Rent (2003), Britney Spears' comeback album Blackout (2007), Christina Aguilera's 2006 album Back To Basics and her 2008 greatest hits album Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits and R&B singer Rihanna's Rated R and Talk That Talk.

Von Unwerth has also directed short films for fashion designers, and music videos for several pop musicians. She has directed many commercials and web films for top brands like Revlon, Clinique, Equinox and others, many featuring celebrities.

Books

• Snaps. 1994. ISBN 0-944092-29-2. 
• Wicked. 1999. ISBN 3-88814-899-5. 
• Couples. 1998. ISBN 3-8238-0367-0. 
• Revenge. 2003. ISBN 1-931885-14-1. 
• Omahyra & Boyd. 2005. ISBN 2-914171-20-X. 
• Plumes et Dentelles. 2005. ISBN 2-84114-772-X. 
• Fräulein. 2009. ISBN 978-3-8365-1477-4. , collectors. Fräulein. 2011. ISBN 978-3-8365-2808-5. , trade.

Films

• "I create myself" – Demi Moore (1997)
• "Naomi" – Katherine Hammett
• "Wendybird" (short film of Erin Fetherston's Fall/Winter collection) – Kirsten Dunst

Editorial

• "Lady Chatterley" in MIXTE Magazine – Darla Baker (2006)
• Christina Aguilera in Cosmopolitan (2010)
• Eva Riccobono in Vogue Germany August 2003 ("Gipfeltreffen" editorial)
• Ann Ward in Vogue Italia (2011)
• "Housework: A Living Death" in Twill magazine #8 (2004)
• "Girls At Play" in Twill magazine #9 (2005)
• Christina Aguilera in Out(2010)
• Christina Aguilera in Latina (2010)
• Fergie "The Dutchess" Album Promoshhot (2006)
• Beyonce "4" ALbum Promoshoot (2011)

Music videos

• "Bring It On" – N'Dea Davenport (1998)
• "Electric Barbarella" – Duran Duran (1997)
• "Ain't Nuthin' But a She Thang" – Salt-N-Pepa (1995)
• "Are 'Friends' Electric?" – Nancy Boy (1995)
• "Femme Fatale" – Duran Duran (1993)
• "I Will Catch You" – Nokko (1993)
• "I Got Trouble" – Christina Aguilera (2007)
• "Fragment One-And I Kept Hearing" – Kenneth Bager (2010)

External links

• Art and Commerce photography
• Ellen von Unwerth's reel at MOO Studios
• Ellen von Unwerth' portfolio (257 photos)
• Ellen von Unwerth @ Staley+Wise
• Ellen von Unwerth at the Music Video Database