Richard Avedon was such icon of portrait photography that he could get away with showing almost no photos on his website. You don’t have to see the photos again because you already have. There are a variey of shows and exhibitions online of which I’m going to list only a few: The Metropolitan Museum’s Special Exhibition, PBS’ American Masters, PDN’s Legends Online.

In the late 1970’s, Richard Avedon decided to embark on a project quite different from his usual work and to travel out west to take photos of people there. The resulting work In The American West has been hailed as one of his finest achievements and deservedly so. The book, long out of print, has just been re-issued. Laura Wilson, who worked with him during the trip, recently published her account of it. Digital Journalist has an introduction that features lots of photos (click on the thumbnails to get larger version that include explanatory text). Also see this page, which includes some audio material. The more intellectually inclined, who is not afraid to read material longer than three sentences, might enjoy Stylistic Trials and Documentary Tribulations in Richard Avedon’s In the American West - I myself, while usually fond of reading, am not very interested in reading about photography; it’s a visual art, after all, and too much babbling just gets in the way (but that’s just me).

If you don’t want to just look at a book, you can also travel to Texas and see the show (open until 8 January 2006). make sure to also look at Avedon’s Lone Stars - Then and Now.

There also is a review of the book, courtesy of Britain’s The Guardian.
(updated post)