PORTRAITS INSPIRATION

For my portraits I wanted to initially look into experimenting with colour. Upon my research I found an artist called Nick Knight, an experimental fashion photographer and director. He also founded the company: SHOWstudio, a platform for fashion artists to show their whole process of work, which is usually film based. In the two images below, Knight's work is inspired by the innocence of childhood and asked children to design the models makeup and let them scribble on his prints e.g. the clothes or how they are put together.

   Nick Knight 

Dolls, SHOWstudio, 2000

• the colour red symbolises importance, along with the gaze and position of the model, the overall apperence of the image is very regal looking which is contrasted nicely against the child-like aspect of the image
• the models gaze suggests dominance and the low angle amplifies the feeling of inferiority to the viewer
• the blush purples of the background help the boldness of the clothing stand out and create a gentle and sensitive appearance which juxtaposes against the chroma in the foreground
• the brush strokes help create motion in the images as your eyes follow the direction of the stroke 

Dolls, SHOWstudio, 2000

• Knight uses mixed media here to emphasis the childhood nostalgia through the use of dolls
• Nick claims that using the dolls links to the innocence of childhood, however for me it suggests the way 'Barbie' dolls act as role models to how society wants women to be.
• the lilac fuzz of the background helps to emphasis the vibrancy of all the colours in the foreground
• The colour scheme is evocative of the 80s and also shares 80s pop culture accessories on the model such as the hair, bold makeup and jewelry. 

Devon, Alexander McQueen, 1997

• After researching this image, it was interesting to see the correlation between the time stamp and the photo manipulation as the image seems modern for its time. 
• the objective of this image is to show the designers clothing which I think has been styled incredibly well as the peachy corals of the clothes are complimented by the cyan hues
• the reflective clothing material is enhanced by the matte edit over the image as the viewer is drawn to the clothing
• the lighting is also interesting as the image uses a flattering but very conventional lighting style (butterfly) which is slightly disappointing as Knight's work tends to push the boundaries however there is beauty in simplicity and it is a very well lit shot

Stella Lucia Deopito wearing Alexander McQueen, 2015

• lighting is a key factor in this image as the jewelry is the brightest part of the image which draws your attention to it with help from the perfectly styled model, background and clothing which are a lot darker
• everything in this image has some sort of natural vibe to it as the analogous colours compliment each other and create a contrast against the serene natural hues and the striking nature of the posed model. 
• there is a reoccuring nature theme as the analogous colours create a serene tone which is juxtaposed against the striking pose
• the overall aesthetic of this image is very primal as you can see the primitive characteristics in her facial expression 
• the jewelry is evocative of tribal wear. The large hooped earrings frame the face in a way which draws attention to the models baring teeth

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whilst researching into colour portrait photographers I found a documentary photographer called Steve McCurry; his work is based on his travels in the middle east, India and Asia, his images filled with colour and exciting composition. I find his work so intense as the colour stands out so vividly, from looking at this imagery, his work has helped me consider colour and composition more when photographing people. 

Steve McCurry

Rangoon, Burma, 1985

• The central composition helps draw focus to the subject behind the gate, however I think that the image would be more appealing if the subjects face wasn't cut off slightly by the gate. However, perhaps by doing this it would have made the image look staged.
• I think that the way the gate frames the face of the subject is interesting and makes the viewer question why they are behind the gate etc. I also think that the gate adds sympathy to the image as the child looks sorrowful and they are looking out past the gate as if they wish to be released/on the other side
• The colours isn't what draws me into this image even though a lot of McCurry's work is incredibly bright and vibrant; I don't think that this image needs the vibrancy as it is sensitive looking and I feel as though it would be ruined with too much colour. The triadic colours of this image could be slightly better balanced by some more yellow added. However, the colour representation of this image is interesting as the subject appears constricted by the stereotypically blueness to the bars that juxtapose to his flamboyant pink checked top. 
• The relationship between the lit foreground and the complete darkness in the background, could represent the subject being contained by the darkness and could have some form of biblical connotations as light and dark is often used in biblical terminology. 

Filadelfia, Paraguay, 1986

• McCurry has considered the composition very well in this image. As the subject is small anyway, by taking this image at a slightly above angle, but still at her level, makes the subject look smaller and more vulnerable creating a more sympathetic feel to the image. Furthermore,  her tearing eyes and facial expression exacerbates this more.
• The use of triadic colours creates a harmony of colour for this image. I think that the photographer has edited this image so the pinky skin tones are more vibrant than the rest of the image so the focus is drawn to her straight away.   
• The use of a shallow depth of field helps to draw focus on the subject in the foreground more and creates a more dynamic looking style. 
• The subject itself is incredibly interesting as our society would associate buckets with nostalgia of going to the beach. However, in this different society, buckets could be associated with cold water and a way to clean yourself. In this way, McCurry alters our perception on what once was a playful object.

Bibliography 

Knight, Nick [Book]  (2009) Nick Knight New York : Collins Design ; Enfield : Publishers Group

SHOWstudio [online] at: http://showstudio.com/project/mcqueen_the_london_years/editorial_gallery last image (Accessed on 25.10.17)

Knight, Nick [online] at: http://nickknight.com/press/nick-knight-on-the-future-of-fashion/ overall (Accessed on 25.10.17)  

Knight, Nick [Online] at: http://nickknight.com/limited-editions/fashion/ (Accessed on 25.10.17)

Knight, Nick [online] at: http://nickknight.com/about/ (Accessed on 25.10.17)

Knight, Nick [online] at: http://www.nickknight.com/

SHOWstudio [Online] at: http://showstudio.com/project/dolls (Accessed on 25.10.17)

SHOWstudio [Online] at: http://showstudio.com/project/dolls/gallery (Accessed on 25.10.17)

McCurry, Steve (1999) Portraits London: Phaidon