Avedon & Penn ... Vs casual portraits

[jtk]

...


Both Avedon and Penn were, way back in the film era, usuallly cited as top photographic role models by the dozens of commercial studio photographers (food, editorial, fashion etc) I dealt or competed with (at my much lower market level..mere $400 day rate). I think Penn was admired most for distinctive "natural-looking" lighting and Penn for straight ahead simplicity..

I admire and have tried to emulate both.

Both did color work as well as B&W, usually 6X6 or 8X10,. Almost always with studio strobes. Assistants, styulists. Total control over everything but their human subjects (Penn even hauled a tent studio into jungles and deserts).

I occasionally see hints of Penn's influence in Photrio's "Media", rarely Avedon's.

What about you? Do you sometimes think about Penn or Avedon when you're making casual portraits?

 

[warden]

I admire them both as well and I appreciate Saul Leiter's aesthetic too. I'm an amateur, lining up neighborhood kids and pushing the button when they giggle, so... no I don't think about the best when I do my simplistic things.

I was fortunate to walk the Irving Penn retrospective in NYC last year and it was so inspirational. He was a true master. I wasn't taken with the color work to be honest, but all the rest was right up my alley.

 

[Eric Rose]

I will be doing a project with Syrian refugees in the next few months and hope to channel Avedon. I will be shooting TX320 in 4x5. Normally I soup all my MF and LF film in PyroCat-HD but will do some experimenting to get the tonal qualities I am looking for by using different (maybe) developers.

I love both Penn and Avedon. The other portraiture and to some degree still life influence I have is Mapplethorpe.

 

[Richard Man]

Avedon, Penn, Mary Ellen Mark, Sally Mann, I want to channel them all ;-)

 

[jtk]

I will be doing a project with Syrian refugees in the next few months and hope to channel Avedon. I will be shooting TX320 in 4x5. Normally I soup all my MF and LF film in PyroCat-HD but will do some experimenting to get the tonal qualities I am looking for by using different (maybe) developers.

I love both Penn and Avedon. The other portraiture and to some degree still life influence I have is Mapplethorpe.

I envy your Syrian refugee project. Where will you photograph?

 

[Peter Schrager]

Avedon, Penn, Mary Ellen Mark, Sally Mann, I want to channel them all ;-)

Better sit under a pyramid for a hot minute!!

 

[avb]

I like to think about Avedon's "Dovima with the Elephants" when taking pictures of people against ugly, old, rustic backgrounds.
I also like Avedon's "In the American West" - those portraits are amazing.
I just recently got a Penn book so I'm studying his work. His people shots in the narrow corner are so cool.

 

[Eric Rose]

I envy your Syrian refugee project. Where will you photograph?

Calgary, in a community hall most likely.

 

[jtk]

Calgary, in a community hall most likely.

Eric, Canada has recently done a remarkable job of documenting and celebrating its First Nation's population and addressing "trauma"...exceptional photo/video exhibit in Quebec City. Reason to be proud of your country.

I hope "we" will be able to see your refugee work online.

My girlfriend's daughter is completing a film about refugee "trauma" experience...working in Oakland, CA and in New England (somewhere). Her previous film, showing occasionally on public television, is about loss of homeland by California Native Americans.

 

[Eric Rose]

We have a long way to go in making things right for our indigenous Canadians. Once I finish the Syrian project I plan on doing a video project in Cambodia on human trafficking. Then a video project on potable water issues our Canadian Indigenous people suffer.

jtk I would love to watch your GF's daughters film. Is there a link to it somewhere?

 

[jtk]

We have a long way to go in making things right for our indigenous Canadians. Once I finish the Syrian project I plan on doing a video project in Cambodia on human trafficking. Then a video project on potable water issues our Canadian Indigenous people suffer.

jtk I would love to watch your GF's daughters film. Is there a link to it somewhere?

Eric, the completed film is restricted in some way on Vimeo due to PBS requirements having to do with exclusivity. The primary goal of that film, specifically about Ohlone Indians, is use in school systems. The Ohlone people, not federally recognized, once occupied most of San Francisco East Bay from San Jose up to Sonoma County.

Lack of Federal recognition means Ohlone people don't officially exist. By sheer coincidence, the family I've depicted in Photrio's "Media" farmed on land once occupied by them.

I'll try to send you something.