When I first look at the image it creates a scary and intimidating feel. This is created by the way the image is taken, the photographer takes the image from a straight on angle. Newman uses the rule of thirds to ensure that the photograph is symmetrical. He also uses a frame within a frame which makes him the focal point of the image, the lighting also helps to do this. The frame in the image makes it feel as if he does not want us to go into were he is working and for us to not see anything. The natural lighting coming from inside of the building would creates a silhouette of the man, but because the photographer has used studio light it stops this. The studio light creates dark shadowing on the mans face around his eyes and clothing, this is what creates the scary and intimidating look to the image. The leading lines in the image coming from the beams and rail tracks creates depth in the image. These leading lines create triangles which are strong shapes, which makes the image so strong and symmetrical. The image was taken in 1963 years after the second world war, in Germany. This could imply that the image could have something to do with the Holocaust and maybe he had some involvement.

Background to the Photograph

In 1963 Newsweek magazine wanted to commission photographer Arnold Newman to take a picture of German industrialist Alfred Krupp. At first, Newman declined the offer. The Jewish American photographer saw the convicted (and later pardoned) war criminal as the devil and wanted to put a knife in his back. But Newman did proceed with the job. A sinister-looking man, Krupp was seated on a platform with his factory in the background. Newman asked him to lean forward. Krupp clasped his hands together under his chin. “My hair stood on end,” Newman would later say. It was considered one of the most important photos by the man who became known as the father of the environmental portrait.

Quote :

“I was doing some work for Newsweek, mainly covers, and they asked me to photograph Alfried Krupp. Krupp, a German industrialist, used slave labor during World War II. When the workers were too weak to produce, he just shipped them off to Auschwitz to die.

So when the editors asked me to photograph him I refused. They asked why. I said, ‘Because I think of him as the devil,’ and they said, ‘Fine, that’s what we think.’ So I was stuck with the job.

When I arrived at the factory and was told by Krupp’s PR people that the sitting was off, I demanded that my photographs be shown to Krupp so that he could decide for himself. The startled PR guy complied, and then came back and said, ‘Herr Krupp would like to see you.’ Krupp told me, ‘These are beautiful pictures. You must photograph me.’