Photographer Mario Testino Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Mario Testino is renowned fashion photographer and has been awarded the Clio Fashion and Beauty lifetime achievement award on September 28 in New York. The event was held at the American Museum of Natural History and was hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally from Parks and Recreation.

Testino is being recognised for his work with fashion brands such as Burberry, Michael Kors, Gucci, Stuart Weitzman and Chanel and a video tribute of his body of work was played on the evening. Mario Testino is known for photographing beautiful people living the hedonistic lifestyle; creative bright, vibrant and colourful images that celebrate living the glamorous and good life.

“It means a lot to win a lifetime achievement from anyone—but the Clio Awards are particularly interesting, as advertising is such a competitive industry. It’s a business that is constantly searching for the new, so it’s a big challenge to stay in the fight and to stay relevant” said Testino.

Testino was recently presented with another award. On August 29, Mario Testino was given an inaugural Etoile Award in London and the photographer attended the Moet and Chandon party celebrating his 30 years in the industry. It was a black tie affair with a champagne glass fountain and singer Sky Ferreira entertained with her singing voice who had been flown in from New York. Sienna Miller presented the award to Testino.

Testino has been in the fashion photography game for three decades and has seen the emergence of social media and has had to keep up with these photography trends.

“When I started using social media, I thought it was good to treat it like a magazine, because I wanted to include my voice in social media, not just my imagery. I find it interesting because it challenges me to combine my creative and commercial sensibilities, having to think of how to not just build better pictures but to establish a wider presence in the digital world” said Testino

He is known on social media for his towel series which features celebrities wearing only a white towel in various positions.

“I’ve always worked under other people’s editorial guise, and all of a sudden I have this opportunity to portray things my own way. I’ve always been obsessed with people’s bodies, and this was a way of undressing people, but still being able to publish it!” said Testino.