Timothy Greenfield-Sanders in Vanityfair

BradS · Nov 22, 2008

A portrait of American author and Nobel prize winner, Toni Morrison appears on page 295 of the December 2008 issue of Vanityfair. There is also a short bio of TGS somewhere in the back (can't find it now).

The photo is classic Greenfield-Sanders. The even left the film rebate in on one side. Appears to be a pretty simple lighting set-up....but, perhaps, I am decived.

Any comments?

donbga · Nov 23, 2008

Nope. Sanders uses a large softbox combined with an old wooden portrait camera and shoots Polaroid film - ar least for a while. His work has been featured in View Camera magazine at least 3 times over the years and has been included in some documentary films about photographers in recent years.

Personally I think his portrait work is pretty boring.

David A. Goldfarb · Nov 23, 2008

Most of his work has been on 11x14" film, but some has been on 8x10" and some 20x24" Polaroid, and there is some early work with a Rolleiflex.

His usual lighting setup is one or two big umbrellas and background lighting. I think for the _XXX_ book he was using two large parabolic umbrellas and shooting 8x10" film on the 11x14" camera. The focus is on the interaction between the photographer and the subject, rather than on theatrical lighting effects.

I think there are some studio videos on youtube.

eric johnson · Nov 24, 2008

"Personally I think his portrait work is pretty boring."

T G-S has photographed most of the important people in the arts and entertainment industries over the last 20 years. He has had many exhibits, had books published, and his work has been the subject of at least one HBO special. He is generaly considered one of the best portrait photographers in the country.

eric

MikeSeb · Nov 24, 2008

Not meaning to take anything away from TGS--but I agree that the portrait, while excellent, didn't strike me as extraordinary. Nothing wrong with simple lighting however. I'd like to see his work "live" rather than in print or web versions, before making a judgment.

He evidently has the right personality to get results from his subjects, married to the requisite technical skill, so all props to him.

donbga · Nov 24, 2008

eric Johnson said:
"Personally I think his portrait work is pretty boring."

T G-S has photographed most of the important people in the arts and entertainment industries over the last 20 years. He has had many exhibits, had books published, and his work has been the subject of at least one HBO special. He is generally considered one of the best portrait photographers in the country.

eric

I've seen a fair amount of his portraits (in reproduction only) and yeah he has photo'ed a lot of personalities and received his share of acclaim, but I still think his work is boring.

There have been and are better portrait photographers out there, at least IMO.

wilsonneal · Nov 24, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
...His usual lighting setup is one or two big umbrellas and background lighting. I think for the _XXX_ book he was using two large parabolic umbrellas and shooting 8x10" film on the 11x14" camera. The focus is on the interaction between the photographer and the subject, rather than on theatrical lighting effects.
...QUOTE]

I studied the video interview that went along with _XXX_, and he used just one light, directly above the subject, in a large umbrella with diffusion. No backlights or reflectors. Subject well away from the seamless, and it seems about a 14" lens. And you're right David, it's all about the interaction. I really like his work.
Neal

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders in Vanityfair

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David A. Goldfarb

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