Arnold Newman is widely renowned for pioneering and popularizing the environmental portrait. With his method of portraiture, he placed his sitters in surroundings representative of their professions, aiming to capture the essence of an individual’s life and work. Using a large-format camera and tripod, he worked to record every detail of a scene. Newman’s best-known images were in black and white, although he often photographed in color.
Image Analysis
The focal point of the image is the man’s eyes, the black and white creates depth and texture on the man face. The lighting used is harsh to create the shadows, this creates the contrast in the image from the brightest areas in the middle of his face to the darkest under his eyes. The shadows help to create depth of field as seen on the mans face and hand but the background is blurred. The contextual factors of the image could tell a story about this man’s life, this brings in the idea of environmental portraits and there are stories behind these people. In my work I am going to try and use similar lighting techniques as the photographer.
“An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings. The term is most frequently used of a genre of photography”
What makes an environmental portrait?
An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings. The term is most frequently used of a genre of photography.
What distinguishes an environmental portrait from a studio portrait?
A typical environmental portrait simply will illuminate a subject’s life and surroundings. A studio portrait is a portrait which will focus less on surroundings and more on the individual by using sterile backdrops and props so to help enhance the focus on the individual in the photo.
Alfred Krupp, industrialist. Essen, Germany, 1963 by Arnold Newman
How does the image make me feel?
At first look, the image has an intimidating and sinister feel to it. It is portrayed in such a way to suggest that the subject is evil and perhaps in a position of power, reiterated by his glare down the lens and the way in which his hands join together under his chin. The subject gives us the sense that he holds a lot of power and is possibly trying to hide something.
How was the image taken technically?
The image appears to be taken on 35mm film, using a tripod, as Newman usually did with most his images. The composition of the image suggests that it was taken with a wide-angle lens, giving the image its depth and a ‘frame in a frame’ feel. It was taken straight on which makes you feel intimidated as the subject is in the centre of the image. There is a use of natural lighting, coming through the windows at the back and top of the images. There has also, been a use of artificial lighting. By using both natural and artificial lighting it creates shadows on the subject and has illuminated sections of his face.
What can I see in the image?
The image presented is taken in a run down industrial trainyard, which is storing parts for the trains and can be seen in the background, behind the subject who is the main focal point in the image. Within the background you can see many train carriages and metal scaffolding. In the foreground, it presents two pillars, with graffiti on them, behind the subject which creates a second frame within the image giving it a ‘frame in a frame’ feel. The focal point of the image is the subject who can be seen staring down the lens. The subjects body language suggests that he is a powerful figure as he is resting his chin on his hands, which are joined together in a pyramid way. The way the subject is staring down the lens it gives off the sense that he has evil motives as the lighting on his face makes his eyes look sunken into his face.
Why was the photo taken like this?
The photographer chose to take the image like this to portray the subject as an evil, sinister character. The use of the light, angle and framing all give off this sense that the subject is plotting something.
What is the story/background of this image?
The image was taken by Arnold Newman, a Jewish American photographer. The subject of the image is convicted (and later pardoned) war criminal, German industrialist Alfred Krupp. Newman saw Krupp as the devil, as Alfred Krupp’s family was responsible for using 100,000 slaves from the concentration camp system to manufacture arms for the Nazis. Krupp’s cunning stance, came from Newman asking him to lean forward and he collapsed his hands together under his chin. Arnold Newman said “my hair stood on end” suggesting he was overwhelmed with emotion.
