Portraiture

Nigel Barker:

Nigel Barker is a fashion photographer and creative director who opened his first audio in New York 1996. He was highly regarded for him 17 seasons on America's Next Top Model. Barker started his career in the fashion industry and is now well known for his modelling, photography and videography work. These three photos are from a shoot with Taylor Swift for a limited edition book.

This photo uses harsh light from a spotlight on the left side of her face which contrasts with the shadow formed by the guitar. This is effective as it creates a sense of mystery which draws the viewer in. Barker has also used negative space which allows the photo to be better composed and emphasises the viewers attention onto Taylor Swift and the guitar, this could also be an advertorial move as the brand of the guitar is visible and attention is drawn to it.

Studio lighting has been used with natural lighting through the window which creates a bright image, the guitar cases in the background are effective as they fill up some of the negative space and create a contrast against the white background. Barker will have used a small aperture to create a sharp image by using a large depth of field.

This is a close up photo of Taylor Swift. A soft box or umbrella would have been used to create a flawless finish to the skin. However I think the light may have been placed just above her and slightly on the left as there are shadows on the right side of her face. The angle of this photo creates a sense of intimacy with Taylor, which is effective as it allows the fans to feel as though they know her.

Steve McCurry:

Steve McCurry is a contemporary photographer who in years as a free lance worker travelled around different countries of conflict and poverty. McCurry brought the first photos from the Afghanistan War, putting a human face to the stories. His work includes conflict, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions and contemporary cultures. 

This is one of Steve McCurry's most famous photos as it was the cover of National Geographic, the photo was named 'the girl with green eyes.' The photo is effective as it gave a face to the stories of war and allowed people to have a deeper understanding of the situation. Her eyes are very piercing and are facing directing into the camera, making the viewer feel as though she were looking at them, creating a sense of guilt. 

This is a photo from Mali of a young boy covers in what looks like dust. The way he is positioned is effective as its clear he is trying to hide his body, the photographer may have chosen this positioning to put a message across that many children of war feel ashamed of where they are brought up and so try to hide this. McCurry would have used a low depth of field then creating this image as to focus the viewers attention onto the boy.

This photo from India shows a young boy covered in red paint, this could be tribal or to convey danger. The reflection in the background of the photo as it is shadowed which gives the viewer a sense of mystery and makes them want to know more about the boy. His eyes are looking at the photographer, not directly into the lens however there is no negative space above the photographer which creates an uncomfortable feeling in the viewer. 

Lee Jeffries:

Lee Jeffries was an accountant from London who became famous through posting his photos of the homeless onto flickr. He believed that to take an effective photo was to capture a person's emotions.

This is a photo of a young girl who remained nameless. The photo is effective as it shows the viewer that children are homeless and therefore creates empathy within them. Lighting has been used to turn all attention on the child by creating a dark background, the lighting also allows the viewer to see the shadows on her face which show her condition, suggesting that she is unwell. 

This is a photo of a girl called Hayley, the use of colour highlights the marks on her skin and therefore attention is drawn to them. Jeffries used a high depth of field so that the girl is completely in focus which is effective as it creates an importance to her which as a homeless person she may not have. Jeffries may have done this to create an image of self worth, for the girl photographed and to remind the audience that those who are helpless still matter and are important.

This photo shows an elderly couple and has been named 'We've walked a long way together…' The use of black and white is effective as it shows the age of the couple and therefore the title is more effective as it suggests that they have grown old together. The fact that they are both looking away from the camera but in the direction of each other and that they are sat close together suggests to the viewer that they are a place of comfort and hope for each other. It allows the viewer to have some understanding of how the couple feel as although they can't understand the hardship they have been through, they understand the love they have for each other.

My Attempt:

I used my time in the studio to explore the labels society places on people and how they react.  

 I started with Naomi (model) looking away from the camera to show that she was ashamed of her labels and the idea that she wasn't 'good enough.' Her looking away from the camera was effective as it shows how society creates lies as many people suffer with being able to show their true selves. I like the first photo where she is looking down as it effectively shows the shame that many people feel however I also like the second photo where she is looking upwards as it could be inferred that she is searching for a way out.

 I then asked Naomi to look proud of herself, this was to show that the labels that society place on you are not what define you but your attitude towards them. The use of eye contact to the viewer is effective in these photos as it shows she is no longer afraid of the way society may view her and that is no longer effects her. In the second photo she has her hands on her hips which creates a better posture and makes her stand out more against the background which can be inferred that she is better than the labels she has been given and allows the audience to believe that she is in fact 'good enough.'