Francesco Scavullo

Francesco Scavullo (January 16, 1921 – January 6, 2004) was an American fashion photographer. He was best known for his work on the covers of Cosmopolitan from 1965 to 1995 and his celebrity portraits.

Scavullo's photographs have also been used on the covers of Seventeen, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, Newsweek, and Rolling Stone. He published several books, including Scavullo on Beauty (1976), Francesco Scavullo 1948-1984 (1984), and Scavullo Nudes (2000).

Scavullo was born on January 16, 1921, in the New York City borough of Staten Island. He was one of five children of Angelo and Margaret Scavullo. During his childhood, he lived in Midtown Manhattan at E 52nd Street.

He used his father's camera to photograph his sisters, who would model for him. His father wasn't impressed by his passion for photography, particularly when he blew off attending Cornell University to study hotel administration in order to pursue what he enjoyed.

In 1945, Scavullo was hired by Vogue to assist photographer Horst P. Horst, which launched his photography career. He spent three years as Horst's assistant, studying his techniques. After shooting his first magazine cover for Seventeen in 1948, he was offered a lucrative contract by the publication. Eventually, Scavullo soon opened his own studio in Manhattan.

Scavullo was married to model Carol McCallson from 1952 to 1955.

In 1965, Helen Gurley Brown, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, hired Scavullo to assist in defining her new definition of femininity—the Cosmo Girl—because she thought that contemporary women could have it all.

In 1969, Scavullo photographed rock singer Janis Joplin, which he declared one of his favorite photo sessions. One of his more controversial works included a Cosmopolitan centerfold of a nude Burt Reynolds in 1972.