As a staff photographer for Harper's Bazaar from 1936 through 1958, Louise Dahl-Wolfe introduced a witty, relaxed, and natural aspect to fashion photography and, in the process, helped "define the post-war look of American women." She also made memorable portrait photographs of leading figures from politics and the arts, "discovered" a teenage Lauren Bacall, and was a pioneer in the technique of color photography.

Born in San Francisco, Louise Dahl spent six years at her native city's Institute of Art studying painting, figure drawing, anatomy, and design. Inspired by the work of a friend, Dahl began experimenting with a camera at 26. By 1929 she had established herself as a professional photographer and married the American sculptor Meyer (Mike) Wolfe, who often constructed the backgrounds for her photo shoots.

In 1933 the couple moved to New York, where Dahl-Wolfe was a freelance photographer. She accepted the position at Harper's because of her respect for the magazine's editor, Carmel Snow, and the fashion editor, Diana Vreeland, and also because they offered her considerable creative freedom. Using her extensive knowledge of art history, Dahl-Wolfe created surprising, often humorous, juxtapositions of her human models with famous paintings and sculptures. Fashion assignments led her to locations around the world and to unexpected parts of New York City, such as the elephant house at the Bronx Zoo.

Dahl-Wolfe's work was shown in important touring exhibitions, and she had several retrospectives. In 1989 Dahl-Wolfe received an honorary doctorate from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, the first women's art college in the United States; her work is often cited as a significant influence on later photographers, notably Richard Avedon.