Portrait+Photo+Assignment

Part 1
Research the work of two portrait photographers. Provide at least two examples of their work and explain unique aspects of their technique in capturing images of people. What are some typical elements of their work?

1st portrait photographer -**Cecil Beaton** Beaton's first camera was a Kodak 3A folding camera and most of his products are in black-and-white. He was one of the most famous portrait photographers of the inter-war years. He captured the mood of irresponsible fun amongst the young members of a dying aristocracy in England, many of whom were his close friends. But he was also very active during the golden age of Hollywood, capturing candid pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn**.**He took one famous picture of the latter wearing a costume that he had designed for her for the film "My Fair Lady".

The French novelist Colette picked her out of a ballet lineup to play Gigi on stage, and her career was launched. When I photographed her in Hollywood and commented on her quality of sophisticated vulnerability, she told me of her harrowing experiences during the Second World War. Years later, in the Kremlin, Chairman Brezhnev agreed to sit for me only if I made him as beautiful as Audrey Hepburn.

Typical elements:Blurring the background leads to a focus and attention only on Audrey Hepburn .Rule of third is used in this picture which her face is located in the centre position.



Typical elements: This is a simple photo with only the face of Sylvia Sidney and the plants;however ,Beaton used a special location and the use of plants which makes this picture pops out. Sidney displayed her head out of the plants which feels like she was wearing a plants made costume.And Beaton choose to located the character on the left of the picture and leave a blurred background space on the right ,with the character's eyes are looking up to the sky,this makes me feel she is happy and prospecting something good in the future.

2nd portrait photographer -**YOUSUF KARSH** Karsh was a master of studio lights. One of Karsh's distinctive practices was lighting the subject's hands separately. This portrait of the young prince was taken while his father, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, was Governor General of Australia (1945–1947). The young prince was four years old at the time of this portrait. He expressed the desire to hold his toy boat during the sitting, adding a sense of childhood shyness to the portrait.

Typical elements: Yousuf Karsh used a white fabric as the background and make it feels like a wave because of the rough and uneven in surface .Lightening play an imporatant role in this picture as it focus on the boy's face and bring put his facial expression.And it seems Karsh captured this moment unwittently while the boys was staring something.

Yousuf Karsh, //John F. Kennedy//, 1960, gelatin silver print Gift of Temmie and Arnold Gilbert

Typical elements:Only capture the lateral of the character with the lightening from the right of the character's position creates a sense of mystery.But with his hand pose ,this photo becomes a symbolic of a sense of lofty and sucessful of John F. Kennedy.

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