Lord Snowdon

Antony Armstrong-Jones was born in 1930, 31 years before he was created 1st Earl of Snowdon. By that time, he was well-established as a photographer who captured the grit and essence of the London theatre and entertainment scene. He purposely broke out of the established mode of traditional photography to catch the energy and force of the theatre. In 1957, he was chosen to take the official portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh for their tour of Canada. By February of 1960, he was engaged to the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and the two were married that May.

Despite the marriage and its required royal duties, Snowdon managed to continue his life as a photographer. He became the picture editor of the Sunday Times magazine in the early '60's. Though he photographed images of the elderly, inner-city life, and the mentally ill, he is best-known for his portraits in the world of fashion and entertainment. During the 1960's alone, Snowdon photographed such famous subjects as Albert Finney, ballet stars Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev, Leonard Berstein, Peter Sellers, Britt Ekland, Barbara Hepworth, and Tom Stoppard, just to name a few.

His many photos of Princess Margaret include bare-shouldered portraits and one of her in the bathtub and sporting a tiara. Besides photography, Snowdon was commissioned to design a new aviary for the London Zoo from 1960 to 1965, still one of his favourite achievements, and in 1968 won two Emmy's for his documentary "Don't Count the Candles." His work appeared in publications such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Tatler, and The Daily Express.

Snowdon captured the era of the '60's with more than just his photography, though. He was the embodiment of the decade in his personal life as well. He was well-known for his sexual escapades, even while married to Princess Margaret and during his later marriage to Lucy Lindsay-Hogg. There has also been wide speculation as to Snowdon's possible bi-sexuality. His marriage to Princess Margaret disintegrated very publicly, though the two did not divorce until 1978.

His creative work and his famous subjects have continued through subsequent decades. But his work in the 1960's left an iconic mark on that era, just as it left its mark on him.