Paszkiewicz-+Portrait

A: How do these artists make their portraits become true works of art, not just snapshots?
These artists make their portraits into works of art because they utilize different types of composition and lighting. They also give their artwork meaning and tell a story through the picture. The artists don’t just take pictures of people’s faces in the center of the camera with studio lighting, but they expirement with different lighting as well as the perspective of the picture. These pictures also aren’t of just people paying for headshots, they are of people’s bodies, and even just people on the street. Each artist makes their photos unique in one way or another.

A: What lighting and compositional techniques are evident in the photographer's work?
Annie Lebovitz utilized a variety of compositional and lighting techniques in this picture of Nicole Kidman. She used artificial studio lights to light the picture from the back. She also has a full body shot of Nicole but she is slightly off center and looking away from the camera making the picture look posed and candid at the same time.

Robert Bergman is known for shooting pictures of homeless people that tell their story and still preserve their dignity. In this photo Bergman used natural light to light half of the man’s face causing most of the picture to be in the shadow. He also has the man slightly off center and looking away from the camera to make it more interesting.

Imogen Cunningham uses an interesting point of view as well as low lighting to capture this photo. Having the subject doing something and making it look like the person doesn’t even know the picture is being taken is a very interesting way to do portraits. Imogen really captured this person’s passion for pottery.

A: How might their artwork influence your own?
Their artwork inspires me to think beyond just a selfie or a headshot, but to have some character in my photos and really bring to life the person in the portrait. Also, it I think I will try to recreate some of the same lighting and compositional techniques as the artists to hopefully have the same successes they had.

C: Connections to your own work and your own experiences. What does it remind you of?
I don’t have much experience shooting portraits but I do take pictures with my friends and family. I will often times try to have an interesting perspective and not just have the subject in the middle and looking straight at the camera.

http://nymag.com/arts/art/features/61728/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/annie-leibovitz-photo-gallery/19/ http://www.imogencunningham.com/
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