He would later work with Depeche Mode and U2, but Anton Corbijn began as a self-taught photographer. He was born on May 20,1955 in Strijen, the Netherlands, as the son of a pastor. From the early 1980s he moved from photography to music videos. In 2007 Corbijn rose to global prominence as a feature filmmaker with "Control" (pictured), about the life of singer Ian Curtis from the band Joy Division.

Music fascinated the introverted Corbijn from his early youth. For him, the camera was a social tool which helped him overcome social barriers and connect him with his favorite artists. The camera allowed him to drop his reserved guard and, through photography, led to many deep connections and friendships with his many subjects - including Irish band U2.

Corbijn's black-and-white photographs always speak in the language of melancholy. With a Hasselblad camera he portrayed musicians, painters, models, and actors. In 2002 he shot a series of self-portraits, in which he was disguised as dead rock musicians. Here he poses in front of a self-portrait which part of his retrospective exhibition.

At 19 Corbijn decided to become a freelance photographer. At the beginning of the 1980s he moved from The Hague to London. One of the first bands he photographed in his adopted home were post punk pioneers Joy Division. He soon became an in-demand photographer for music bible "NME," snapping Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, and many more - including David Bowie.

In addition to Joy Division, Corbijn enjoys close relationships with the bands Depeche Mode and U2. Over the past 30 years he has designed several album covers for both bands and directed many of their music videos. One of his most famous music videos is "Heart Shaped Box" by Nirvana, fronted by rock icon Kurt Cobain (pictured), for which he won the 1994 MTV Music Award for "Best Art Direction."

As one of the world's most in-demand film clip directors, Corbijn has also shot seminal videos for Depeche Mode, The Killers, Arcade Fire, Roxette, Metallica, U2, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, Mercury Rev, Travis, Bryan Adams, Joni Mitchell and Coldplay (pictured), for whom he directed the clips for the singles "Talk" and "Viva la Vida."

His debut as a feature filmmaker was "Control" - an elegant and grainy black-and-white film reminiscent of the early days of cinema. In his second feature, "The American" starring George Clooney (pictured right), he stunned audiences with his minimalism and still images of barren and desolate landscapes.The film's striking soundtrack was composed by German pop icon Herbert Grönemeyer.

In Corbijn's 2014 film, "A Most Wanted Man," Herbert Grönemeyer (pictured left) stars on screen in a supporting role. The two artists have been friends for 25 years, and Grönemeyer explained: "We are like a pair of lovers. There is a chemistry between us that I cannot quite explain. There are also differences: Anton is a very smart, wise person. I am rather childish, temperamental."

Prior to his career Corbijn could let his photographs speak for themselves. Now he regularly gives interviews at film festivals, such as the Berlinale and Cannes. However, despite his wide popularity as a filmmaker, he explained, "I like the melancholy side of life and use it as a starting point for my films. I believe that we all live our lives alone."