Mario Testino traverses the worlds of fashion

CNN says:

He moved to London in his early 20's, first to study, then working as an assistant for theatre photographer John Vickers until he died. Work was hard to come by and so Testino worked as a waiter, eventually taking photos of his colleagues at the restaurant, who happened to be aspiring models, in his spare time.

In the late 1970's, with no money, he called on his bank to give him a loan to buy lights.

Once Testino found his own style, the work soon came in and he embarked on a roller coaster, working for the world's top fashion magazines in New York, Milan and Paris. His popularity grew -- and fell -- as rapidly as the trends he followed.

But when staple of the American glossies, Vanity Fair commissioned him to photograph Diana, Princess of Wales just months before her death in 1997, his career hit a point from which there was no turning back.

His popularity with the royal family has continued since then, with Testino the photographer to capture the 21st birthdays of Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry.

In 2002, Testino's work was exhibited in a retrospective at London's National Portrait Gallery -- it quickly became the gallery's most popular exhibition.

Mario Testino official site

Mario Testino blog

Wikipedia says: Mario Testino (born 1954) is a London-based fashion photographer.

Mario Testino was born in Lima, Peru to an Italian Peruvian father and an Irish Peruvian mother. He was a pupil at the American School of Lima. He subsequently studied economics at the Universidad del Pacifico, law at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and international relations at the University of San Diego, California (USA).

In 1976, Testino moved to London, England, (taking a flat within an abandoned hospital near Trafalgar Square), where he trained in photography. His career in fashion had humble beginnings selling portfolios to wannabe models for £25.00 including hair and make-up.

Today, he is highly successful and internationally famous for his bold and imaginative ad campaigns and fashion imagery.

He has remained based in London, but travels much to undertake fashion shoots for magazines like Vogue, V, and Vanity Fair. He has photographed many well-known celebrities and models.