Photo Fermata: Search results for avedon

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query avedon. Sort by date Show all posts

11.20.2009

Goodbye Mr. Avedon

Richard Avedon - Self Portrait

Photo of photo by Karl

Last night I went to the SF MOMA to see the Avedon exhibit one more time. The exhibit ends November 29th. Since it opened early last summer, I've been to it five times. The first time I saw it was my favorite since the Robert Frank - The Americans exhibit was up at the same time.

It has been a good year at the SF MOMA for photography. They started with an Ansel Adams/Georgia O'Keefe exhibit, then the Frank and Avedon exhibits as well. They also have a great exhibit of post WW2 transgressive Japanese photography that is amazing. This is on top of all the other exhibits, including their permanent collection.

Los Angeles
Photo by Robert Frank

A few more words about the Avedon exhibit. His photos are amazing, but it is his story that adds so much more. One thing I learned about portrait photography from watching a documentary about him is, don't piss off your portrait photographer.

Duke and Duchess of Windsor
Photo by Richard Avedon

In this famous image of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, you can see he did not capture their elegant royalty. He felt they were anti-semitic, and elitist. Earlier in the session, he took traditional photos of them and their dogs. He learned they were very close to their dogs.

When he was focusing on them and about to take a shot, he told them he apologized for being sad because on the way to that shoot, his taxi ran over a dog (a lie). He then took that photo a few seconds later showing their reaction.

In the same documentary, he talks about the role of the subject and the photographer.

I am in control. You are there. I can't do it myself, but it is my view.

If you look at his portraits and watched him work, you could tell that was his philosophy. Don't piss off your photographer, if he was Avedon.

Another Avedon quote:

Photographers are the new writer.

Are we capturing the new literature through our lens? Interesting idea. For me, photography can document something, but the room for individual interpretation is too great. Written communication is far more precise.

Zampa Bridge
Photo by Karl

11.29.2010

Remembering Avedon

Richard Avedon - SFMoMA 2009

Dr. L wrote a great post about the nude in both fashion and art photography and how the lines have blurred. She mentioned one of my favorite photographers, Richard Avedon. I've written about him a bit, so I will spare you of my verbose ramblings on him, but below are a couple of great sites to visit.

The Fraenkel Gallery - This is a great sampling of Avedon's fashion photos, including the famous Natasha Kinski/snake nude.

Richard Avedon - Dark and Light - Here is the first of nine segments of the great documentary about Avedon.

8.04.2009

Me at Forty

My POV of 40

Photo by SB

My final project for the class I just finished was Me at Forty. Here is the little write-up I read before exhibiting my photos for critique.

Men at Forty by Donald Justice

Men at forty
Learn to close softly
The doors to rooms they will not be
Coming back to.

Turning forty can seem cliché to those who have not reached that number. This cliché for men usually involves sports cars, brave athletic heroics, sordid love affairs, and other attempts to recapture youth that has slipped into the middle.

I am trying to live beyond the cliché now that I am forty. I look back at the doors I've closed along the way. I look at where I am now and see new doors open from how I have lived so far. I look to the future and wonder what doors are yet to be discovered.

These photos represent some of the realities I feel at this moment. In ways, they may show me missing my youth or regretting some of my life choices. I prefer to think of them as interpretations of how I exist now. They are my POV or Point-of View of the now.

I RECOMMEND CLICKING ON THE PHOTOS FOR A HIGH-RES VIEW. MANY OF THEM HAVE SUBTLE CONTENT.

Living in Both Worlds
(The Lady in Red)

Photo by SB

Weeds Along My Road

Photo by SB

A Glance into My Views

Photo by SB

A Role Model, Richard Avedon (self-portrait)

Photo by SB

Between Two Americans (Portraits by Richard Avedon)

Photo by SB

The Not-So-Fastrak... in the Passenger's Seat

Photo by SB

Still has a Purpose

Photo by SB

NOTES: I took the photos of the Avedon photos at the SF MOMA. Anyone could take photos, sans flash, at the Avedon exhibition. I am not trying to copy his art, just capture a part of who I see myself as in this stage of my life.

On another note, I am amazed how they placed the photo of César Chávez along side Ronald Reagan. Talk about two very different Americans. Both made their name in California.

I posted an concept test earlier. Click here to view it.

8.28.2009

Men Take the Light

Sean Connery

Photographer unknown

"You've heard the saying, 'Men take the light'?" my portrait photography instructor asked.

We all looked confused. He then smiled and showed a few glamor photos of male and female models and celebrities.

Danny Glover
Photographer unknown

The first were of Paul Newman both older and younger. Then he showed us Robert Redford, Sean Connery and Brad Pitt. He asked us about the lighting for each.

Paul Newman
Photographer unknown

There was usually one strong light source that was angular, and maybe a fill light or reflector. We also noticed darker shadows emphasizing the contours of their faces.

Robert Redford
Photographer unknown

We then looked at photos of Marilyn Monroe by Richard Avedon followed by the iconic Farrah Fawcett bikini photo. We ended with photos of Angelina Jolie. He repeated his question about the lighting.

Marilyn Monroe
Photo by Richard Avedon

The lighting was subdued and diffused, less angular and more fill lighting from multiple sides. This was true for almost all of the glamor photos for women.

Marilyn Monroe
Photo by Richard Avedon

Six years ago I took a photo of my friend Melinda. She is a very sexy beautiful forty something with long red hair. I photographed her in her living room by the big window with my new Hasselblad. When I got the photos back, she looked beautiful because they showed the life in her eyes. She looked at them and was disappointed. "I guess I look that old."

Men can take the light.

Men are allowed to age and show wisdom and sexiness through their aged faces. When you looked into Paul Newman's eye, you saw a handsome man, no matter how old or how wrinkled he was. The shadows just accentuated his manliness. The same goes for Robert Redford, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and many other handsome men.

Brad Pitt
Photographer unknown

Women are not allowed to show their age. Glamor photographers use softening techniques like light diffusers, softening lenses, editing changes, and other tricks to make the women look younger. I have never erased wrinkles, although I have hidden pimples and razor burn a few times. Through all this trickery, we get a silly ideal that all beautiful women look 22 and have absolutely perfect skin. Sadly then, so many women go under the knife and then inject botulism into their faces to keep their youth.

Robert Redford
Photographer unknown

I think Robert Redford is still handsome. Yes, he has wrinkles and sun spots, yet when you look in his eyes, you still see that boy spirit brimming with life. I am saddened that I can only think of a few beautiful older female celebrities that are proud of their age and are sexy as hell, Helen Mirren, Sophia Loren and maybe Madonna. Mirren, 64, still performs nude in some of her movies where she is amazingly sexual and sexy. Sadly though, most female models and celebrities are not allowed to age, so they are forgotten.

Helen Mirren
Photographer Unknown

UL and Mrs. break this trend by celebrating their age, wisdom, beauty, and sexual attractiveness. When I look at them, I know I am not looking at a twenty year old starlet, I am looking at sexy women that have twinkles in their eyes from erotic histories that makes them even sexier.

Angelina Jolie
Photographer unknown

Maybe I should be comforted that I know many beautiful older women who are not shunned by celebrity and live among us common folk. They look beautiful whether in soft or harsh light. Sadly popular culture does not see it.

Monica Bellucci
Photographer unknown

I understand we all want to look good for our portraits. I don't like photos of myself because I've found few people take good ones. Maybe this is the reason I don't like doing formal portrait photography. I love creating honest beauty from the person. Unfortunately, it all goes back to what a female photography instructor said to us, "It is easy to get a pleasing picture of a cute young woman."

So, in this age of celebrity and youth obsession, remember this... "men take the light."

Angelina Jolie
Photographer unknown

Photo note: I found this sexy photo of Angelina Jolie where she is in harsh light. Good for her and the photographer.

Please also take a moment and look at the quality of lighting for all these photos.

Halle Berry
Photographer unknown

Helen Mirren
Photographer unknown and probably is paparazzi, but Helen looks stunning.

9.03.2009

First Contact

Then He Turned
Photo by SB

Today was the first time I have met someone through this blog. I had the pleasure of having lunch with Stephen Haynes who writes the blog, Magic Flute Fine Arts Nudes.

We met in the quaint South Park neighborhood in SF at a little coffee shop/restaurant. We chatted about food, wine, his book, the law, traveling and many other subjects. Sadly, I had to get back to work. We finally started talking about art on the walk to my car. Maybe next time we can start on that and expand because that is what is a major part of both of your lives.

I hope he enjoyed the SF MOMA and the Adams/O'Keefe and Avedon shows.

--------------------------------------

In other news, CalTrans is closing the Oakland Bay Bridge from tonight until early Tuesday morning. If you have not been to the Bay Area, the Bay Bridge is the most heavily used span of all of the eight bridges. It is the main bridge connecting the East Bay to SF. I cross it twice every day for work. Tomorrow, I am going to work from my home and then Saturday I am going to have to cross it catch a flight to London. It will be perfect for my wanderlust. I will write more about that whirl-wind trip later.

Photo Note: This is probably my favorite from my photos of Andrea. We watched an Avedon documentary in class last week. I practiced his technique for getting his subjects to slip into moods. He would not say, "Look sad." He would guide you to think about something heavy and dark, like your own mortality, by leading you through deeper questions while he quietly clicked away.

Andrea recently broke up with her boyfriend and we talked about how it went. I asked her to think about how she had watched him turn around and walk out of her life and for her to think about her first emotion at that moment. She was quiet for a couple of minutes. Andrea is a tough woman and this was the most emotional photo I took. After the entire photo shoot, she requested to see that one photo. She said it hurt to think of that moment, but she needed to start working through the end of that relationship and this was a small step.

I tried having her think of happy things, angry things, arousing things, and many other emotions. The best photos came from the happy and the break up guided moments.

I am curious on how other photographers and models have gotten into various mood for photo shoots. What worked for you?

11.20.2009

Avedon Bonus Post

Here is a good documentary titled, American Masters - Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light divided into 9 parts on YouTube.

Here you go.

Here is a link with all nine videos.

http://www.youtube.com/user/mikebridge#p/u

7.14.2010

My Moonrise, My Citizen Kane?

Movie Still from Citizen Kane

Moonrise Over Hernandez, NM - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams had Moonrise over Hernandez. Edward Weston had Pepper Number 30. Richard Avedon had Dovima with Elephants. Orson Wells had Citizen Kane. I have Yin and Yang. I do not list these giant's iconic photos and movie and my work as being on par in quality and beauty, but to share what they may all have in common. For most viewers they are the single piece of art everyone identifies with their creator.

I wrote a short post last night about which photos models choose to use from our work together. At the top I put the photo Leila uses in her Model Mayhem portfolio, Yin and Yang. My friend UL wrote a comment about the post and the image.

Yin and Yang

The one you posted here is one of my all-time favorites of yours. I like the yin-yang of it, and the beauty of the alabaster bodies against the black. Stunning and somehow pleasing to the psyche.

Others have written:

stunning b&w. love the emotions - Drusilla Killswitch @ Model Mayhem

This is one of the greatest shots I have seen on MM - Digiphotoarte @ Model Mayhem

One even wrote a poem for the photo and posted it as part of their critique.

A snowflake
on midnight's window
spirals around my centre
stirs the vortex of my desire.

Wonderful entwining of human forms here - love how one body merges into the other in Geminesque balance. - Jac at Photosig.com

I appreciate all of the comments and compliments of this photo. This is a special image for me and I am proud of it. When Leila, Hana and I created it in 2004, I was standing on a ladder above them as they lay on a black rug. As with almost all of my photos, I spent little time staging since I am not too particular with every detail meeting some predefined concept in my head. This moment and the pose lasted one or two photos before the models moved a bit to a new pose. The whole thing took maybe forty seconds. I mention this because part of the success of the image was serendipity.

Dovima with Elephants - Richard Avedon

Yin and Yang has a rich aesthetic beauty for me. As UL wrote, "Stunning and somehow pleasing to the psyche." I agree and I like that description. It is a relaxing piece to look at, but does it have much more than that?

I believe Yin and Yang lacks complex meaning. I have many other photos I think are more important including some recent work from New York, Nevada, and Rome. They make me stop and think. I want to explore them and discern what they mean to me as the creator of them and also who I am. I seek the deeper meaning with them as they get under my skin and make me think. Yin and Yang does not do that for me as either a creator or a viewer of it.

Maybe I have to accept Yin and Yang, and how it reflects on me, in two different ways. First, not all of my art has to be about something. It doesn't have to carve deep into my psyche and share truths about existential issues. Yin and Yang can exist to simply celebrate beauty and aesthetic. Second, even with its success I have not pigeon-holed my art into making all my images like it. I am not Anne Geddes. While I have pride in that photo, I am free to make what I want and not be limited to cloning prior success. I have to remember Walker Evans may be remembered for his Share Cropper photo series, but my favorite photos of his came from his late-in-life experiments with Polaroid cameras.

Walker Evans - Polaroid

10.31.2009

Touching the Flesh

PJ Harvey and Nick Cave - Henry Lee
Photo by Rocky Schenck
See the sensual music video here

I learned in my photography class to think about how the model(s) touch skin is important to the photo. We need to see how lightly or tightly we touch the flesh of ourselves or others. This touching adds to the narrative of the story by showing relationship, emotion, alertness, and closeness.

In my work, there are three levels of contact between flesh. They are:

"Kiss the Flesh" - This is when one touches the flesh so softly it is like a butterfly kiss. It is the softest touch around. It can be sensual, comforting, or just getting someone's attention.

Discovering
Photo by Karl

"Caress the Flesh" - This is when you rest your hand, or other body part, caresses the skin, maybe even cupping it. This can be a reassuring touch, a sensual caress, or just resting your hand.

Sigh
Photo by Karl

"Press the Flesh" - This is when one presses into the skin. This could be a grasp, a push, or many other possible examples. This can be sensual hold, a violent grab, or just the photographer resting his chin and jaw in his hand.

Prosperina
Bernini

While there are three degrees of touch, not including pinching, scratching, and other types of contact, there are numerous different messages from each. They can communicate love, caring, anger, caution, arousal, ecstasy, danger, sympathy, and concern among many other messages.

I think showing the touch is a crucial part of the photo. It helps make it human.

Below are examples of the three types. You decide the message sent by it. As you can see, they aren't always erotic, or even caring.