Now here’s a guy who ran away from home at the tender age of 16 because he didn’t feel like complying with his parents’ wishes for him to marry some girl. That was in the early 80s. By 1984, Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto, on the hunt for young blood, took him in a few months after he successfully photographed an assistant to movie producer David Puttnam.

The rest, as they say… is history.

Max Vadukul is now one of the most respected names in avant-garde photography with his works having appeared on the covers of top fashion publications like Vogue, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, GQ, Mademoiselle, and so on, for many years.

Max Vadukul, born in Nairobi to Indian parents, prefers black and white photography. It may be a hindrance to the eyes of some towards a more successful career, but for this talented photographer contents himself in capturing a woman’s beauty in his photos.

The following photos of model Jeisa Chiminazzo by Max Vadukul appeared in Vogue Russia, 2002.

Nothing beats black and white.

Take a peek and feast your on some of the most awesome photos that won in the 66^th Annual Pictures of the Year International Competition. These are some of the most awesome works by the likes of Susana Vera, Leonhard Foeger, and more.

Winner, Golden Eye of Russia
Photo taken by: Sergei Karpukhin

Finalist, Sports Action. The Press Photographer's Year 2008
Photo taken by: Phil Noble

Pictures of the Year International, Winner.
Photo taken by: Susan Vera

Winner, PDN Annual Sports section
Photo taken by: Lucy Nicholson

Runner-up, Austrian press photographer of the year
Photo taken by: Leonhard Foeger

Boston Press Photographers Association (BPPA) 2008 Still Photographer of the Year
Photo taken by: Brian Snyder

World Press Photo Awards. Second prize, Spot News category
Photo taken by: Bo Bor


More award-winning photos at Reuters.com.