The Collective - Portrait Photographers

We had a short lecture this afternoon on 4 of the most iconic portrait photographers. They all had a similar yet varied way about their photographs but they’re all very well-known and successful.

David Bailey

He likes to capture the essence of 1960’s Britain - the time in which London was considered the best place in the world for everything including music, lifestyle, fashion and everything else. He likes to get characters (celebrity profiles) in their own style by bringing out their personalities. He uses minimal space to get up close and personal with them and therefore capture them ‘in a box’. He uses square format photography a lot as it puts them into their own little personal box. A good example of his work is his piece of Johnny Depp. He manages to capture a good amount of shadowing creating a deep contrasting mood and personality.

Mario Testino

Mario Testino is a photographer from Peru who focuses a lot more on the softer side of portraiture. He takes a lot of images in more of a calmer environment instead of harsh photographic studios. He has taken a lot of photos of people such as Kate Moss and Princeess Diana. My favourite photograph is the one below of Princess Diana, I really admire the pure beauty this photograph portrays. I like how raw and natural it is as it's very different to a lot of portraits.

Rankin

Rankin is a portrait photographer from the 90's who still works even up until today. He works for magazines such as dazed and confused. He likes to do a lot of post production through photoshop. He has taken pictures of people like Emeli Sande and Rupert Grint. My favourite piece is of Adam Lambert. I love how dark and moody it is as it really sticks out to me. I love how he has made everything pretty dark other than the main skin and body of the model. The photo overall has quite a lot of attitude and it's very tonal.

Platon

Platon is a very unique photographer who likes to work very close up, he likes to bring out the harsh detailing on peoples faces and skin to add depth and more of a natural surface. He has photographed people like Robert Deniro and Vladimir Putin. My favourite piece is definitely of Putin as it is a very harsh, moody image.When looking at the photo, you initially know that it's of someone of high importance even if you are unaware of who it is as he is higher than the lense. The project this photograph was taken for was the 'Platon Republic' project. He travelled around the world visiting all of the world leaders creating a full album. It was challenging at points as he had to get very close and personal with some of the most brutal leaders in the world.