[Leica] IMGs: portraits of power

[philippe.amard at sfr.fr (philippe.amard)]

Agreed, in full !

I think Steve's last two takes for instance, are wonderful portraits -  
they tell so much more, or at least appeal to me - insipid terrestrial  
creature -  so much more than any sharp, profesionally lit portrait.
 From his images, I sense I know who Soleil and Luna are, and it does  
strike a real human chord with me.

 From the series posted in the link that started the thread, I have to  
guess a little more, but they work, and work well.

More often than not, we lose the soul - the 'old' debate BW vs colour  
is irrelevant here - of the person, and the very essence of  
photography , IMVHO of course.

Every picture needs an eye, an approach, a commitment, else it is  
radiography, with or without Xrays, or UV filters.

Sorry to be so sharp on that.
I don't mean any offense to anyone.
Just opinion, mine only.

Bien cordialement ? tous depuis Metz.
Philippe




Le 1 d?c. 09 ? 19:33, George Lottermoser a ?crit :

> I too appreciate stretching and testing the visual definition of  
> "portrait;"
> as well as the visual definitions of any of the other genres of  
> photography.
>
> Some of our most respected "portrait" photographers like Karsch and  
> Hurell visually idealized their subjects bathing them in perfect  
> light with flattering poses. Others, like Avedon, rendered them  
> hyper-real yet on a hyper-neutral, out-of-context background. Arnold  
> Newman perfected the posed, environmental portrait along with some  
> wonderful experimental techniques.
>
> Those who came before us left a legacy to be studied, honored and  
> respected;
> yet not necessarily to be imitated (except perhaps as a learning  
> tool).
>
> We're always left with the question,
> "what do I have to say with my camera?"
> about any particular subject or within a particular genre.
>
> I really appreciated Philippe A. pointing us, appropriately, to the  
> page of portrait "caricatures."
>
> Someone will always come along and use the
> wrong lens,
> or
> wrong light,
> or
> wrong film,
> or
> wrong sensor,
> or
> wrong pose
> and show us that s/he
> has something valid and beautiful to say visually.
>
> While others will emulate the masters
> and never achieve the masterpiece
> because the master's voice
> is not the imitator's voice.
>
> Regards,
> George Lottermoser
> george at imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com/blog
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist
>
>
>
>
>
> On Dec 1, 2009, at 11:41 AM, Mark Rabiner wrote:
>
>> On the camera lists we always still hear the half baked advice  
>> about never
>> using a lens younger than the model and the general advice that a  
>> "portrait"
>> lens is less corrected, lower contrast, less resolution than a  
>> general
>> purpose lens. With the reality long being that you use the sharpest
>> contrastiest best lens you can put your hands on and it doesn't  
>> matter if
>> you're shooing trees, clouds or faces.
>> You want to see everything. The truth is in the details.
>
>
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