Corbijn (1955) became well-known because of his photos of jazz and pop musicians. Three phases can be distinguished when considering his oeuvre. At the moment he is in his third phase. The atmospheric, often melancholy black and white photos that mark his begin period have had an immense influence on the international portrait photography. Apart from being fascinated by music, Corbijn is also greatly interested in film, literature and fashion. The celebrities of this era have been brought together in one oeuvre. The portraits from the series "Star Trak," part of Corbijn's second phase, are less factual than his earlier photos.
Contrary to many photographers who tell the person to be portrayed to act normal and pretend that the artist is not there, Corbijn is noticeably present in the room. He enters into an existing situation and makes use of the informal atmosphere. The person to be portrayed can therefore be as silly or normal as he wishes: he can be or pretend to be who he wants to be.
