Corbijn

Corbijn is a Dutch surname. The name is most prominently associated with Anton Corbijn (born 1955), a Dutch photographer, music video director, and film director. Corbijn is renowned for his stark, monochrome portrait photography and for creating distinctive visuals for album art and music videos. Over the decades he has photographed a wide range of musicians and bands, contributing to major publications and campaigns and helping shape contemporary visual culture.

In addition to his photography, Corbijn has built a notable career as a filmmaker. His feature debut, Control (2007), is a biographical drama about Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Division. He later directed The American (2010), a thriller starring George Clooney, A Most Wanted Man (2014), an espionage adaptation of a John Le Carré novel, and Life (2015), a biographical drama about photographer Dennis Stock and his work with James Dean. His films are known for a restrained, atmospheric aesthetic and a focus on character and mood.

Corbijn’s work has earned him recognition as one of the influential figures in modern photography and cinema. His visual language—often high-contrast, documentary-influenced imagery—continues to influence contemporary portraiture and filmic storytelling. The name Corbijn thus denotes both a surname and a body of work spanning photography, music video direction, and feature filmmaking.