Avedon’s portraits are very striking because of how well lit they are. The high contrast of them makes them look very dramatic which catches your attention. His images are famous for there simplicity and minimalism this is because he uses a plain background which keeps all your attention on the model. Avedon mostly only focuses on the models head and shoulders this adds an intimate feel to his images because of how close he is to his subjects. This also makes you feel connected with the models as if you know them because of the intimate feeling the pictures have. He photographs most of his subjects face on this helps to capture the subjects characters because of the intimate feeling there is from the way they are looking straight into the camera. Avedon’s portraits manage to capture the subjects personalities because of there intimacy and how he photographs them very natural. Richard Avedon’s portraits have inspired me for my project ‘The Body’, in many of his images the main focal point is on the models eyes which is what I want the focal point to be in my own portraits. I also like the natural feel his images have and how he uses plain backgrounds so all you attention is kept on the model. I’m going to use similar techniques so I can capture the subjects personality.
Avedon has used a long shutter speed for this image which has created a blurred effect on the hair where it has moved. By using this technique Avedon has given this image a soft feel to it which adds to the intimate atmosphere the image has, the movement in the hair makes you feel as if you are there with the model as the hair looks realistic. The models eyes attract your attention with the way the model is staring straight in to the camera . The eye contact makes you feel as if the subject is looking right into you which again adds to the intimate feeling of the picture. The lighting in this image is high in contrast, the dark shadowed areas under the face contrast against the highlights on the skin and hair. Even though the image is high in contrast it still has a softness to it because of how the subjects skin is illuminated. The way the skin is lit up gives the model a very vulnerable feel as the light look as if it is revealing her to the world.
The two images above are very similar as they both have a very intimate atmosphere. Avedon has used lighting that gives the skin a softness, however there is still some shadows which makes the images stand out as it adds contrast. By lighting the image so the skin looks very soft makes the subjects appear very vulnerable as there skin looks very delicate. Vulnerability is also represented in the first image below by the pose the model is in. She is posed with her arms wrapped around her body as if she is shielding her self this also makes her look very delicate. I found this pose to be really inspiring for my own portraits as I feel it captures a sense of fragility and makes the image look very delicate which is the feel I’m after. In the second image the subject is photographed from above her shoulders, this makes her appear very confined as if she is stuck in the middle of the portrait because it looks as if her hands are stuck by her sides. By having the images composed with the subject in the centre of the frame makes them appear as if they're trapped in the image and makes them appear very vulnerable. In both of the portraits it looks as if the model’s are wearing no clothing, this also adds to the delicate feel of the images as you can see the fragility of the female body. These two images inspired me to reveal parts of the models body in my own portraits to capture the same sense of delicacy and fragility.
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