Photographer Research Iain Crawford

                                                            Iain Crawford

                                                                     Biography

Iain grew up in Africa and Malaysia and developed a passion for photography at an early age. On moving to London, he worked as an account handler for Saatchi & Saatchi but left to pursue his photographic career. After spending several years living and working in New York, he is now based back in London but continues to work internationally. His career has lead him to shoot campaigns for many of the world's top brands and receive commissions from a host of top international magazines.

                                                        Why I chose this photographer

I chose Iain because he loves to capture images that have a strong graphic and textural quality while maintaining the personality and emotion of the subject. He loves the mix between paint and model. The excitement and anticipation as we waited to see the next piece of unpredictable chaos was electric. There was something magical about how random chance materialised into beautiful images in front of our eyes.

This photograph is a longshot taken in a landscape orientation. It depicts a woman merged into fog where only the top half of her naked body can be seen. This produces a mysterious feel to the piece as the female can only just be seen. The fact that the fog is pink allows for a very feminine atmosphere to be created. The dark background allows for the fog and subject to be seen clearly as they are light in comparison. The density of the fog can be seen through the tone of pink in the composition. The lighter tones of pink indicate a thicker density whereas the darker tones imply a thinner consistency. Where the fog is thinner, the female begins to become visible. It seems that there is a light source positioned towards the right of the composition as highlights can be seen on the right side of the model whereas there are shadows on the left side. 

This is a close up of what it seems to be a female model who is wearing a wet sheet of transparent fabric over the top of her face. This transparency provides a very light tone of the subjects face. There dark green paint placed over the top half of her face. There seems to be a light source coming from over the top of the subject which causes little shadow where most of the darker tones are on the neck of the subject. However, there are slight shadows which illustrate the form and shape of the subjects face. These shadows also depict the facial features where outlines are created. The shape of the features allow it to be clear that the subject is a woman. The lines on the subjects face and hair illustrate how the fabric is wet which enhances the shape of the subjects face. The structure of the models face is very feminine as she has a petite nose, big round lips, prominant eyes and jaw line.

Here in this photo colour is introduced through the use of paint. It is applied very messily  and rash which seems very abstract but also implies a sense of beauty as can be  considered to be art. The side profile of the subject can be seen through the light  background. This also shows the hair which is illustrated through the long wavy lines seen. There are a lot of shadows caused in this piece which allows for the focal point of the piece  to be the model's eyes and face. This is due to the very dark shadows around the throat  which gradually lightens towards the cheek, implying a sense of form and shape which is  also shown in the mouth of the woman.

Here a particular colour scheme has been created. The overall colour palette consists of blue/turquoise. This is created through the fact that the background, props of balloons and the eye make up all be the same colour. There are very round shapes include in the frame of the piece as in the background there is a circle and there are also two other semi-circles where the balloons are partly out of the frame. These shapes can be seen through contrast between the dark tones and the bright colour. There are patterns seen on the top of the subject. The subject is facing towards the left of the composition whilst looking directly at the camera. Her very serious facial expression implies a mysterious mood as it looks as if she is looking down at the viewers which is also shown through the level of the camera being lower than eye level. It is possible that lighting gels have been used as there are both  colours of blue and red seen on the right side of the subject's face.

How they have influenced me 

Iain has inspired me to create colour schemes in my photography which can be formed by  the use of background, clothing, make up and props all being the same colour. Also he has made me want to experiment with paint and materials which I can apply to the face of the  subject.

Photographer Research - Chuck Close

Chuck Close

Biography:

Charles Thomas "Chuck" Close (born July 5, 1940) is an American painter and photographer who achieved fame as a photorealist, through his massive-scale portraits. Chuck was diagnosed with prosopagnosia- Sometimes known as “face blindness”, prosopagnosia is a disorder where the ability to recognize faces is impaired. In 1988 a catastrophic spinal artery collapse left him severely paralysed. Close often takes his family and friends as models, making monumental and classical works that are both bold in their simplicity as well as intangible. In Close’s daguerreotype photographs, the background defines the limit of the image plane as well as the outline of the subject, with the inky pitch-black setting off the light, reflective quality of the subject’s face.

Why I chose this photographer:

Chuck's photography is very interesting to me as he focusses on portraiture in black and white. This is very effective in showing the detail in the face of the subject along side with the formal elements of line, form and shape. The absence of colour in his photography is very intriguing to me as I feel that it is very effective in creating a particular mood. The subjects in the photographs tend to appear very serious and emotionless, enhanced by the black and white effect. Also I like his technique of blurring the whole image apart from the face of the subject, which is perhaps related to his visual impairment. The edges of the model's head is blurred which enhances the detail of the eyes, nose, mouth and in some cases hair.

In this portrait a very intense mood is created due to several factors in which Chuck has included. Firstly, the eye contact and facial expression is considerably intense as she looks very tense and straight. Due to the fact that the blurring technique is introduced, the femininity of the subject is enhanced as she looks quite soft through her hair being blurred and the only thing in focus being her face. Despite the fact that there is unflattering light and  considerably dark shadows the blurring still allows her to look beautiful. There is quite a lot of contrast with the tones visible which show the form of the subject due to the slight highlights around the cheeks and nose.

In this photograph, a black background is used alike all of his work in order to allow the subject to stand out. The blurring technique of where the only area in focus in the frame is the centre of the subject's face is used. This enhances the eye contact and connection made with the audience. There making the face the focal and illustrating the importance of the facial expression when unsung this technique in order to convey a particular emotion or mood. This photograph seems rather soft and natural due to the minimal contrast on the subjects face. There are blurred light lines which illustrate the man's hair and the reflection of light which appears to be coming from in front of the subject. The formal element of line can be seen through the hairs in the eyebrows and beard where different tones can be seen. Chuck also uses the technique of shadowing everything other than the face and a part of the neck in order to make the subject stand out further.

Unlike a lot of the Chucks photography this piece appears much lighter than usual through the introduction of white clothing. Chuck normally uses dark clothing which blurs in with the dark background. Here the the white shirt works very well in contributing to the lighter tones seen. Once again the blurring technique enhances the femininity and beauty of female subject. Also the subject is smiling which adds to the overall softness of the piece in relation to the soft light colours with minimal shadows. The black background also allows the subjective to stand out much more. There are slightly darker tones which work well when showing the form and structure of the subjects face. There is a fair bout of contrast in the hair of the subject with main highlights and shadows in order to illustrate the smooth texture through the use of blurring.

This is a self portrait of Chuck Close  where once again his blurring technique is used very well in enhancing the eye contact made with the audience. This is because the only areas in focus are the eyes, nose and mouth of the subject. Due to the very serious facial expression used, a intense mood is created which is very compelling and intriguing as the subject seems emotionless. The formal element of line is very dominant in this photograph through the wrinkles around the forehead which are highlight areas. In contrast to this, dark black lines can be seen to show the outlines of the glasses. The top part of Chuck's beard is in focus and contains both light and dark short lines which present the rough texture of his beard. Once again, it becomes apparent that when photographing male models, chuck shadows out the top half of their body such as their shoulder. This only allows for the subjects head and neck to be seen.

How he has influenced me:

Chuck has influence me to experiment with different blurring techniques, especially his blurring technique. In doing so I have established ways in which to make the focal point of the piece to be the face and therefore allowing the facial expression to be the main contributor to the mood. I have experimented with his blurring technique in order to to enhance the beauty and femininity as he does, shown through the images included below.

Summary:

Overall, I feel that Chuck's blurring technique is very effective in allowing the focal point to be the face of the subject and also is very effective in creating several moods. These include very intense photographs due to the eye contact and black and white filter and also he enhances the femininity of women.

Photographer Research - Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry

Biography:

Steve McCurry is an American editorial photographer best known for his photograph "Afghan Girl" which originally appeared in National Geographic magazine. McCurry took his most recognized portrait, "Afghan Girl", in a refugee camp near Peshawar, Pakistan. The image itself was named as "the most recognized photograph" in the history of the National Geographicmagazine and her face became famous as the cover photograph on the June 1985 issue. He became interested in photography when he started taking pictures for the Penn State newspaper The Daily Collegian. McCurry focuses on the human consequences of war, not only showing what war impresses on the landscape, but rather, on the human face. “Most of my images are grounded in people. I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face. I try to convey what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape, that you could call the human condition.

Why I chose this photographer:

The majority of Steve McCurry's photography revolves heavily around colour and ethnicity as most of his work has been taken in the Indian region through travelling, therefore focussing on the formal element of colour. Also most of his work is portraits, which I would like to experiment with in the future. Steve McCurry has been one of the most iconic voices in contemporary photography for more than thirty years, with scores of magazine and book covers, over a dozen books, and countless exhibitions around the world to his name.

This photograph is a close up of a young girl taken from a high angle where she is looking up directly at the camera. The supplies a sense of innocence and vulnerability. Colour is introduced through the clothing and the eyes of the subject. The head scarf is teal but a rather dull teal, implying a sense of grit and dirt. This is complimented by the blue coloured eyes of the little girl which allow both to stand out from the composition. This is because the rest of the composition is very dull and bleak, the background is dull and dark as it is assumed to be a wall as it is shot on locate alike a lot of Steve's portraits. Also there are shadows towards the bottom of the girls body and also around the girls face caused by her hood. There are also dark lines on the clothing which provides a sense of its texture. This therefore allows the face of the subject to stand out as it much lighter in tone, contrasting with the rest of the composition. There are very soft shadows on her face which exaggerate her youth and femininity.

 This photograph is organised in an landscape orientation which the subject is placed in the centre of the frame. The fact that she is placed here as well as the fact that the background is  dark and blurred allows the woman to be the focal point. There is minimal shadows on the woman's face, causing a very soft glow which enhances her youth and beauty. There are slight shadows which show the form of her cheeks and eyes. The bright blue cloud of her eyes stand out from the rest of the composition and are very effective as she is looking directly at the camera. This is accompanied by the pink colour of her turban as well as the warm glow of her skin in order to show her femininity. The overall colour palette of the subject is very soft, bright and vibrant which contrasts with the dark background.

Similar to the photo above this image is in landscape orientation which is very effective in producing large spaces either side of the model. These large areas is the blurred background which is considerably dark, allowing the model to stand out due to the contrast of colour. Colour is shown through the subjects hair and beard which is yellow/orange. This colour has connotations of illness and weakness which implies the health condition of the man. Due to contrast of tones on the arms of the subject, he appear very skinny and looks frail and old which is also shown through the formal element of line, illustrated through his wrinkles. Once again the subject jus placed in the centre of the composition, acting as the focal point. The model is looking straight int the camera, making very tense eye contact. His facial expression is very emotive and can be considered as a plead for help. He also looks very vulnerable.

This photograph shows the formal elements of colour and texture very effectively. There is a great contrast between the two main colours, there is reds shown through the main subject and turquoise is introduced through the background. The fact the the red is shown through powder applied to the models face also implies texture. The face looks very matte and lines on the wall show the texture of the wall behind the subject which is slightly in focus. The great contrast with the colours used therefore allows the subject to stand out as it is darker than the background. The way the subject is staring tensely at the camera as well as he is red, has connotations of danger perhaps.

How has he inspired me:

Steve has inspiring me to create portraiture but on location rather than in the studio. I would like to attempt to create great depth of field by blurring out the background as he does. Also I would ensure that the background is dull in order to allow the subject to stand out. Steve has influenced me in many ways, including to consider the colour of my background, location portraiture, culture and depth of field. He has inspired me to introduce colour through the clothing, props, makeup and eyes. 

Summary:

Overall I feel the Steve's work is very effective in ensuring that the coloured areas stand out through the use of a dark blurred background. Also he makes very emotional connections which the audience through the models he uses and the eye contact/facial expressions acquired to the subject.

Photographer Research - Brian Smith

Brian Smith

Biography:

Brian Smith is an American portrait photographer and photojournalist. He may be known best for portraits of actors, business leaders, politicians, and athletes that are at once stylish and telling. The book Art & Soul features Smith's portraits of celebrities Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, Patricia Arquette, Adrien Brody, Alyssa Milano, Adrian Grenier, Taraji P. Henson, Tony Bennett, Kelsey Grammer, Paula Abdul, Tim Daly, Taye Diggs and Samuel L. Jackson accompanied by personal testimonials from each artist expressing their support for the importance of the arts in their lives.

Smith is President of Editorial Photographers, a photography trade organization of magazine photographers and photojournalists from around the world. He has lectured at photography trade shows including PhotoPlus Expo, WPPI and Imaging USA. He has lectured students on the Business of Editorial Photography at Brooks Institute of Photography, Ohio University, Hallmark Institute and the Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale Art Institutes.

Why I chose this photographer:

I chose to study the work of Brian Smith because I like the way in which he uses colour/black and white in cooperation with body language and facial expressions. The facial expressions that are used in his work are very influential in terms of the atmosphere created. When photographing in black and white he tends my acquired a more serious facial expression to the subject. Along with the poses and clothes worn a rather smart, clean and formal theme is produced. However, Brian also photographs in colour where the models are usually much more elaborate, expressive and happy where the overall atmosphere is enhanced by the fact that the photo is hot in colour.

It seems that the subject is placed in a corner where two walls meet - these two walls are different in colour, one black grey and one being black. I feel that Brain did this in order to allow for the shadow to be seen on the grey wall but also to allow the subjects face to be highlighted by placing it in front of the black background. This photograph illustrates how the black and white effect can enhance the formality and smartness of a piece. The black and white effect and portrait orientation compliments the costume of the subject being a suit, once again being a formal attire. This impression is further by the models facial expression being rather serious, contributing to the formal theme. There is light coming from the right side of the composition, causing shadows to be formed on the left side of the model's body. These shadows also show the form of the subject particularly enhancing the structure and profile of his face.

In this photograph a very serious and perhaps emotional atmosphere is create. This is due to the subject possessing a very serious facial expression making it seem that he is deep in thought. He also isn't looking directly at the camera, instead he is looking down, perhaps suggesting that he doesn't have the confidence to do so. The black and white effect enhances the overall tone and colour of the photo, creating a very dark and dim theme which goes hand in hand with the facial expression. A black background and black clothes are used to ensure that the model stands out and allows the shape of the subjects head to be define and shows him to be the main focus of the composition. The positioning of the light source causes shadows on the left side of the face, enhancing the structure of the temple, cheek, jaw and nose. This also makes the eyebrows more visible; the fact that they are frowning contributes to the seriousness of the piece.

Alike a lot of Brian's work, a dark (black) background and costume is used in this photograph to allow for the face of the subject to be the main focal point. Here instead of using a black and white effect Brian has kept the photo in colour which works very effectively. The warm colours of the subjects skin compliments the laughing facial expression, therefore creating a very warm and happy theme overall. This is also created through the high key lighting used which minimises the contrast and shadows visible of the subject, creating a very soft outcome. The light source seems to be placed in front of the subject which also helps to reduce the shadows formed. This works very effectively due to the fact that the subject is a women, therefore enhancing her femininity and beauty. There are slight shadows around the neck, collar bones and chest in order to show the structure of the females body once again showing her beauty. This is also shown through the colour of the subjects lips and cheeks once again contributing to the warm colour scheme.

In this photograph a very similar colour scheme to the one in the image above is created. The vibrance and warmth of the subjects skin is enhanced through the contrast with the background and costume. This time Brain introduces a pose to add to the atmosphere. Here the subject is looking directly at the camera which both of his hands resting on each side of his face. The lighting is coming from the right side of the composition, causing shadows to be made on the left side of the man's face and hands. This also forms lines which disperse from either side of the nose and also underneath both eyes, allowing the facial expression of a smile to be clearly visible.

How he has influenced me:

Brian has influenced me to consider whether to apply a black and white filter to my photo of enhance the warmth of the colour depending on the aspired atmosphere/mood that I want to create. I would use black and white in order to create similar outcomes as Brian, allowing my pieces to seem more formal, smart and also serious which I have learnt that all can be enhanced by the facial expression used. Visa versa I would enhance the colour if I wanted to create a more light, vibrant and happy mood, corresponding to a subject smiling. Also from analysing his work I would also like to experiment to see if I could still create a happy mood whilst using a dark background and clothes in a similar fashion to Brian.  I also have realised how the facial expression and colour corresponds to the clothes, props and background of the work.

My Work:

http://jmphotographyunit3.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/shoot-12-straight-images.html

http://jmphotographyunit3.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/shoot-11-straight-images.html

http://jmphotographyunit3.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/shoot-10-straight-images.html

Summary:

Overall, I feel that Brian's work is very successful due to his choice of colour, subject and body language/facial expressions in order to create a particular mood. After researching his work I found that despite using very dark backgrounds and costumes, he still is able to create a very warm and happy theme through the colour and facial expression used. I also like the way he amplifies the seriousness of a piece by using a black and white filter.

Photographer Research - Nadav Kander

Nadav Kander

Biography:

Nadav Kander (born December 1, 1961) is a London-based photographer, artist and director, known for his portraiture and landscapes. Kander was born in Israel in 1961 and moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, when he was three. He began photographing at an early age and moved to London in 1982. His work appears in publications including The Sunday Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, Time, Another Magazine. Time Magazine recently commissioned Nadav to photograph President Barack Obama for their Person of the Year 2012 cover. 

Why I chose this photographer:

I chose to research the work of Nadav Kander because i feel that he uses colour very effectively in ways that my other photographer do not. Nadav uses lighting very effectively order to introduce colour, assumably he uses gels over his lights in order to project colour instead of plain light. Also I like his style of composition and also would like to attempt the way in which he darkens the areas around the outline of the subject. Allowing them to stand out and also provide a sense of 3D. His work is very relevant to my project as the colours in which he uses have specific connotations. 

In this photograph Nadav has used coloured gels over the lighting in order to introduce colour into the photo. A green/blue gel would have been placed over the light which is positioned to the right side of the composition at a relatively high height. There is also a red/orange glow coming from the bottom left hand corner of the frame where the other light is positioned. This light can be seen on the underside of the table and also the subject's hands and left side of his face. The blue light provides a rather cold mood whereas when the red glow is introduced from a low angle, a rather mysterious and sinister atmosphere is created. The impression is furthered through the fact the subject is facing away from the camera, accompanied by a serious facial expression which provides a sense of evil, wrong-doing or mischief. There is also a pencil in  his hand and scrunched up paper on the table, perhaps suggesting that he is in deep thought.The overall colour scheme is considerable dark and dingy, enhanced by the black jumper and cold lighting.

In this photograph a model is placed in front of a grey background; he is also wearing a grey shirt with a white collar so he wouldn't normally stand out. However, here Nadav has included one of his unique techniques of darkening the areas around the outline of the subject, providing the sense of a shadow. This allows the model to stand out from the background. The model is looking away from the camera towards the left side of the composition. There is a light placed at the left side of the set up which allows for the left side of the subject's face to be highlighted in contrast with the darker right side. The  different tones illustrate the formal elements of form, structure and shape of the face. Also there is another light positioned to the right but is much softer. It allows for the temple and ear to show their form due to the highlight and shadow areas and also allows the shape of the lips to be seen. This time colour has been introduced through the use of paint/spray paint where colours such as pink, purple, blue and green can be seen. This is generally used of the right side of the face and even on the collar, bow tie and shirt. These colours are not very bright and vibrant, so they still give the impression of the shadowed area of the face.

Similarly to the photo above, the technique of darkening the outlining areas is used to ensure that the subject stands out from the grey background. Once again the subject isn't face the camera and is in fact side on to the camera. There profile of the model is enhanced through the positioning of the light coming in from the right side of the frame. This causes for the outline of the subjects face to be very light, enhancing its shape. The light area contrasts which the dark areas around the figure, making him stand out even more. A much softer light is used at the back of the subject which also highlights the back of the figures head. There are shadows and dark lines around the eyes, nose and mouth which show the form and shape of the subjects face. The facial expression used is rather serious and straight which compliments the dark colours used in the photograph. The serious and formal mood is furthered through the outfit of a suit being worn.

Unlike the previous images here a light background is used to create a very natural/nude colour palette similar to colour of the subjects skin. Nadav has ensured the the outline of the model's face is shadowed in order to make her stand out. Her areas such as her neck, cheeks, eyes, lips, nose and the top of her head are much darker in tone. However soft lighted has been used either side of the subject to allows for lighter areas around the outline of the cheeks and jaw to be produced. Shadows are also used to show structure, particularly through her collar bones. Colour can be seen through her lips as they are red and stand out from the rest of the composition. There are many short thin lines scattered around the face which imply that the subject has just got all of her hair cut of. The fact that her hair has been cut off enhances the femininity and beauty of her facial features. The focus and detail of the facial features is amplified through the blurring technique used which only allows for the face to be in focus.

How has he influenced me:

Nadav has influenced me to consider the lighting techniques which I use in my work. From researching his work I have found his technique of using gels very effective and very useful when wanting to create a specific mood. I then decided to do a shoot experimenting with coloured gels and how they can effect the overall feel of the photo. This was very influential for me as my project is based around colour and the connotations which are produced in relation to colour - Shown through my work below.

Further Work Showing Influence

http://jmphotographyunit3.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/shoot-4-masculine-and-feminine-lighting_22.html

http://jmphotographyunit3.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/shoot-3-feminine-gels-straight-images.html

Summary:

Overall I feel that Nadav's use of lighting is very effective in creating a particular mood, the colours he produces from his lighting are very successful in contributing to a theme. His portraits are very successful and his composition styles and poses are very unique and varied.