Irina Lazareanu & Sean Lennon

If a picture is, as they say, worth a thousand words, then the honorees at last night’s 23rd Annual International Center of Photography’s Infinity Awards are cunning linguists indeed. This year’s awards—given to those who have contributed new terms to the photography field vernacular—were handed out to a number of influential shutterbugs, including Ryan McGinley, Tracey Moffatt, and William Klein, who received the ICP’s Lifetime Achievement Award. (I am aware that to refer to such artists as “shutterbugs” does seem to undermine their impressive talent, so I’ll stop that now and get on to the guest-list.)

William Klein

Held at the spacious Pier Sixty, the awards banquet attracted an A-list crowd that included model Irina Lazareanu and pal Sean Lennon, and Earnest Sewn‘s Eleanor Ylvisaker. Man of the hour, William Klein indulged photographers’ requests to take his portrait, and responded by asking the lense men about themselves. “Where are you from?” he asked one. “Women’s Wear Daily,” they responded. “No where are you really from,” he asked again, ” Where were you born?” Clearly the New York press corps is not used to having debonair gentlemen in their midst—especially not one as accomplished as the Qui êtes-Vous, Polly Magoo? auteur.

Karl Lagerfeld & Julianne Moore

Later, Karl Lagerfeld, another of the evening’s honorees, made quite the memorable entrance, what with Lady Amanda Harlech, several well-coiffed assistants, and a camera team all in tow. (As they piled out of an SUV, one couldn’t help but wonder what the chic clique could possibly have thought as they entered the Pier’s sporty façade.) In front of the swarm of paparazzi, The Kaiser greeted actress Julianne Moore who looked pleased with her black Chanel dress. Later, photography power couple Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin strolled in, Inez sporting Christopher Kane’s crystal studded choker that’s be photographed here, there, and everywhere. Manhattan media types were also in attendance including Elle Décor’s Editor-in-Chief (and Top Design‘s hostess with the mostess) Margaret Russell, plus Interview Magazine’s Ingrid Sischy and Sandy Brant who rolled in late, just ahead of Calvin and (the irrepressibly sexy) Kelly Klein.

Calvin & Kelly Klein

All managed to arrive in time to catch the appetizer course of Todd English’s well-crafted menu, and settled in for the evening’s many speeches. Set against the backdrop of the Hudson River’s brilliant setting sun, the event was, in a word, picture-perfect.

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