Initial Photographer Research

To get started, I researched photographers who focused on the idea of portrait photography and quickly became a fan of the following. They each take a different approach to the art form and I intend to explore them individually.

Eve Arnold

"Eve Arnold was born on 21 April 1912 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents; her father was a rabbi from Odessa. A friend’s gift of a camera during her early medical training led her into photography and for several years she shot pictures for her own pleasure and developed them in a small darkroom.

Arnold’s career ranged widely geographically, in subject matter and by medium. She considered herself primarily a photojournalist but also wrote books and produced a film" [1]

Arnold is most famous for her work with numerous stars but most memorable for her work with Marilyn Monroe. I have chosen these images as a part of my work as they're simple yet makes such an impact on the sheer beauty of each of the images. The majority of the images correspond with traditional composition rules with the model dead centre of the images which is something I need to take into consideration as a part of my work.

To respond to Arnold throughout my work I am going to base my work in the studio as I feel that is most appropriate and I will be able to achieve a more glamorous effect using the professional lighting. In addition, whilst editing the images, i am going to have to add some noise to the images to make them look older so they look a similar era to Arnold's work and to give them the same texture Arnold has created in her images.

When I respond to Arnold, I also intend to use a film camera to create my images as that is the equipment that she would have used whilst doing her own work. I will do this at an attempt to use the techniques that Arnold would have used at the time and I feel using a film camera will assist me in creating the same textured images that Arnold was able to create.

[1] http://www.halcyongallery.com/artists/eve-arnold 

Stephen Wright

"Stephen Wright is a street photographer based in Nottingham, UK.  With over 25 years experience in documenting the people of his home town, Derby, Leicester, Sheffield and London. His work is well established and recognised both locally and nationally." [2]

I have chosen to look at a Stephen Wright in my work as he incorporated portraiture with street photography which creates this incredible effect. He is able to capture the emotions of the subjects whether that be the stresses and strains of everyday life or the easy life of children and young people. The majority of his work is in black and white which I feel assists in creating this effect. All of his work is very clean cut and sharp lines which is something I need to take into consideration when imitating his work in my own development. As a part of that, I am aiming to go out into the streets and capture my subjects as Wright would - by surprise. In addition, I am going to incorporate his work in the studio by using HDR portraiture at an hope of achieving a similar effect.
To respond to Wright, I intend to use a digital camera as this is what Wright would do in his work. It will mean that I will be using exactly the same techniques that Wright would and therefore getting a better relocation of his images.

[2] http://stephenwrightstreetphotography.weebly.com/profile.html

Erna Lendvai – Dircksen 

"Erna Lendvai-Dircksen (born Erna Katherina Wilhelmine Dircksen, 31 May 1883 – 8 May 1962) was a German photographer known for a series of volumes of portraits of rural individuals from throughout Germany."[3]

I was drawn to Lendvai-Dircksen's work because of the eye contact from the subject that locks onto the eye of the viewer - it automatically draws you in to explore the image further. when you look into the image and fully understand the composition and technically correct piece of work, you start to understand the emotion that is trying to be portrayed through the images.

it is the child portraits that i am specifically interested in and i want to explore this in my work. All of Lendvai-Dircksen's work was done with natural lighting and I know this because the ear that she photographed, didn't have things such as lighting equipment available for use. Without sounding cliche, I have to take things back to basic when relating to this photographer and only use things that would have been available to Lendvai-Dircksen at the time - a film camera, a subject and natural lighting.

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erna_Lendvai-Dircksen