Magnum Editions: Fred Astaire & Richard Avedon, Paris, France

Dawid Szymin⁠ – later known as David ‘Chim’ Seymour – was born in Warsaw in 1911 into a family of intellectuals. Deciding not to follow his father into publishing, he chose instead to embark upon a career as a freelance photographer and, in 1934, met Henri Cartier-Bresson. In 1947, along with several others, the pair founded Magnum Photos. Chim’s education in the arts gave him a visual acuity that counterbalanced his empathetic eye, allowing him to capture striking images that were deeply human without being sentimental. In this shot, Richard Avedon, fashion photographer and technical director, advises Fred Astaire on his role as a photographer.