In February 1967 the artist won a place in the eight-week photography master class held by Richard Avedon and Marvin Israel at Avedon's studio on the Upper East Side of New York. Everyone, including invited guests such as Diane Arbus, Hiro and Lee Friedlander, would gather around two sheets of plywood set on sawhorses and criticise each week's assignments. He had decided to photograph beauty parlours.