Born in New York City in 1923, Diane Arbus began her career in commercial photography, working alongside her husband, Allan Arbus, for fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She eventually transitioned to independent artistic practice, studying under Lisette Model and developing a distinct aesthetic that moved away from the polished style of commercial work.

Arbus is best known for her square-format photographs of people on the fringes of society, including carnival performers, nudists, and individuals with dwarfism, as well as middle-class families in domestic settings. Her approach involved building personal rapport with her subjects, resulting in images that are characterized by a direct, often confrontational gaze.

Her legacy remains a foundational element of 20th-century photography, influencing generations of artists interested in portraiture and social documentation. Her work has been the subject of numerous retrospectives and continues to be studied for its exploration of identity and the human condition.