John Hedgecoe, who died at the beginning of June, was a photographer, writer and educator and was the first Professor of Photography at the Royal College of Art. He was also responsible for one of the world's most reproduced images - see above.
In the 1960's Hedgecoe was commissioned to take a photograph of the Queen for use on British and Commonwealth postage stamps. This portrait by him was subsequently used by artist Arnold Machin to produce a plaster sculpture which was re-photographed by Hedecoe to become the final stamp image.
Hedgecoe's famous books on photographic techniques are credited with bringing photography to a wider audience and inspiring generations of photographers both amateur and professional. Any of his titles would be considered standard-issue texts for students of photography.
Amongst his best-selling publications are 'The Photographer's Handbook' and 'The Book of Photography: How to Take Better Photographs'. Although the cover of this 1976 edition of the book (and some of the images in it) look a bit dated now - try to ignore the soft-focus/wet shirt shots - it's a really helpful guide to the practical elements of taking pictures, is copiously illustrated with photographs by the author and is a fantastic example of his enthusiasm for teaching this subject.
