RIP Peter Gowland

In case you're unaware of it, photographer Peter Gowland passed away on March 17, 2010. If you're a pretty girl shooter, you ought to be acquainted with Gowland's work and his many contributions to photography, much of it to the art and craft of glamour and nude art photography.

I'd be surprised if you've never seen any of Peter Gowland's pictures, perhaps less surprised if you're not aware of who snapped them. Some of his work with Jane Mansfield is iconic. (Gowland was, I believe, the first to shoot her after she arrived in Hollywood from her home state of Texas.)

The most constant themes in Gowland's work were the beach and water. (Southern California beaches, of course.) Peter Gowland and his wife, Alice, lived for many years in their SoCal studio home quite near California's Will Rogers State Beach and spent considerable time there.

With Alice Gowland performing the writing chores and Peter doing what he loved best, photography, the Gowlands published 25 books: Many of them focused on glamour and nude photography.

The DIY crowd should also be impressed with Gowland's accomplishments. Gowland was famous for MacGyvering all manner of lighting and grip gear. He also designed and built cameras: The Gowlandflex is one example.

If you have some spare time, I recommend going through Peter Gowland's website. It tracks the photographic life of one of the most important contributors to this thing that so many of us pursue: this pretty girl shooting thing.

Rest in Peace Peter Gowland.