Photograph from Vogue Paris, 1973. Courtesy of the Guy Bourdin Estate. 

For legendary fashion photographer Guy Bourdin, capturing an image was far from a spontaneous act. He would diligently sketch out his imagination of each photograph (down to the minute details) before a shoot, meaning it's no surprise that each frame’s skilful composition is what really speaks when looking at his work. Whether it was an editorial for French Vogue or a campaign commercial for Chanel, his images became so much more than the clothes, shoes or perfume that they were selling. Bourdin spun a whole narrative around each frame; he was a master story teller.

Now, a new publication Guy Bourdin: Image Maker, released by Assouline, has compiled over 200 of his photographs into a smart coffee table book. Spotlighting the artist’s never-before-seen works, polaroids, unfinished sketches and paintings, the collection reveals the mind behind the glossy, glamorous images we know and revere.

Charles Jourdan advertising campaign, 1977. Photograph courtesy of the Guy Bourdin Estate. 

Plus, if you find yourself in Berlin over the next few months, you'll have the opportunity to delve into Bourdin’s life and work further. From December 1st 2017 to May 13th 2018, the Helmut Newton Foundation will present an exhibition of the same name, Guy Bourdin: Image Maker, which explores the artist's lesser-known images, alongside his visionary advertising campaigns.

You can purchase Guy Bourdin: Image Maker at Assouline.com.