[Leica] Making portraits of people

[don.dory at gmail.com (Don Dory)]

Kyle,
Less talking is OK.  Keep pushing the shutter release and continue to
amaze ua all in your creativity.

The first band image:

http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/dead.jpg

is truly inspired although it won't fit a CD case.

Don
don.dory@gmail.com
On 7/11/05, Kyle Cassidy <KCassidy@asc.upenn.edu> wrote:
> Taking photos of people presents a series of specific challenges which I
> find personally entertaining and rewarding. One is to present someone in a
> way that, if not unique, is conventional in a way that uses the rules of
> photography to best exhibit that person. I realize I haven't been as gabby
> on the LUG lately, I apologise. It's because I've been taking more photos
> and have had less free time (digital was supposed to give us more free time
> by keeping us out of the darkroom for so long, wasn't it?). In any event,
> I'd like to share with you a few images from the last seven days of my 
> life.
> 
> First two of Amanda from this past friday:
> 
> http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/7.jpg
> http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/1.jpg
> 
> Amanda just happened into my life when she walked through the door with a
> friend of mine Friday after work. After we'd sat around and thrown toys for
> the cats to chase, got caught up on who was divorcing whom and figured out
> what art openings we were or weren't going to later that evening, I
> suggested we retire to the studio for a few photographs. (This happens to
> virtually everybody who comes over to my house.)
> 
> I chose polar techniques to try and show her off, first cross processing to
> try and present her as a denizin of an alien world where things are just a
> little off kilter, and secondly with more traditional lighting techniques 
> in
> a more clinical way. This, to me, attempts to really remove that "outsider"
> feeling and present her in the way that any photographer might represent 
> any
> subject. (Certianly something Irving Penn did better and with more
> dedication than I).
> 
> One of Darenzia from last Saturday:
> 
> http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/28/1.jpg
> 
> Which uses natural light and an 80 2.8 wide open at 1600 asa in a pretty
> traditional setup. Darenzia came down from New York to work with
> photographer Jerry Bennett, afterwards she crashed in my guest bedroom and
> went back to NYC the following morning. I've known her for years. Trivia:
> for five years she was the photo editor at Penthouse magazine.
> 
> And finaly a band photo from this Sunday afternoon:
> 
> http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/dead.jpg
> 
> Which presented particular difficulties -- as do all band portraits.
> Firstly, you want to give everybody an individual character, and allow 
> their
> personality to show through, you want to do it in an uncluttered manner, 
> one
> that conveys the sound of the band visually (this is, after all, primarily
> an advertising photo) but at the same time, I want an image that reflects 
> my
> personal artistic sensibilities, ultimately I want it to be an art photo
> that happens to feature models who work together in some other capacity.
> This photo uses a studio umbrella, and selective dodging ,of faces, as well
> as some good old fashioned levitation (everybody think hard: "light as a
> feather, stiff as a board")
> 
> Aw heck, while we're here, let's do two band shots. Here's the other one:
> 
> http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/dead2.jpg
> 
> Same setup basically. All photos taken with a Leica d100.
> 
> Now back to whatever you were bickering about.
> 
> Keep pushing that shutter button, eventually it'll come unstuck.
> 
> Kc
> 
> 
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