Portrait photography is a very well-known and popular style of photography. The style is all about trying to capture the personality, identity, soul, and emotions of a person by utilizing the background atmosphere, poses, and lighting.
There are many types of portrait styles such as; constructionist, candid, environmental, and creative. Looking more into the environmental portrait style, it usually depicts people in their working environments or environments they are typically found in giving insight to said persons life and surroundings.
Portrait photography was invented by a french artist and photographer, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre in 1835. The style later became publicly available in 1839 leading to the first photographic portrait studio opening in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1842, which brought portraiture into widespread use across America and Europe.
Environmental portrait mood board
The mood board showcases the different ways environmental portraits can capture the subject in their surroundings. On some of these images we can see people facing the camera straight on as well as others who have not taken notice. Both styles of these photos are effective, however in my opinion when they do not take notice to the photographer the images become more authentic.
Mind map
The mind map gives some insight into possible photoshoot ideas.
Alfred Krupp, industrialist. Essen, Germany, 1963 by Arnold Newman
Analysis
Technical -how was the photo taken
Visual -what can we see in the image
Conceptual -why was the photo taken / presented
Contextual -who, when, where etc…the story, background, impact
This image by Jewish photographer, Arnold Newman, was taken in 1963 and includes a man situated in some sort of train station. The photo consists of a dark and mysterious atmosphere, the dimly lit figure creating a sense of dread and fear. The older man appears to be wearing a suit- indicating that he is important and perhaps has some sort power over the environment around him. The photo’s sinister mood is accentuated by the man’s smirking expression and clasped hands placed under his chin, the idea of something horrible happening. Two pillars are on either side of the man, framing him and creating a midground in the photo. The picture was taken so that the entire station could be seen behind the man, creating a depth of field that made the photograph appear much deeper. There is a very wide tonal range in the photo, the base being dark and the top including some sky light- causing this to be a complicated photograph since it includes both under and overexposure. It appears as though two lights were placed under the mans face, casting two shadows and making the man seem even scarier and almost evil. The picture was taken using a low exposure, little light being let into the picture and, therefore, allowing the spots of light to heavily contrast with the rest of the image. The composition of the photo adds to the mood of the picture, the man being placed perfectly in the middle emphasising the idea of his authority and importance. The intense eye contact the man maintained with the camera/ photographer, creates the idea that he was challenging him, showing him how he still has the same power he previously had. The mans older age suggests he gained his control when he was younger, perhaps implying that an event took place that gave him this power. The positioning of his body creates a triangular shape, triangles being seen as a strong shape typically being associated with evil characteristics. Due to this being an environmental portrait, there is an indication of the environment being an important aspect of this mans life, perhaps the very thing that gave him the power that his strong and smug stance suggests.
The Real Story
I was doing some work for Newsweek, mainly covers, and they asked me to photograph Alfred Krupp. Krupp, a German industrialist, who 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.
I asked to see the factory, and noticed a huge casting that I thought would make a good background. They moved it just for me, and built a special platform so that we would be overlooking the factory. I lit Krupp’s face from slightly below, using two small lights. It was just an okay picture until I asked Krupp to lean forward. He leaned forward and my hair stood on end. He looked like the devil.
This was the recount that Arnold Newman told when questioned about the photograph. He used the photo to portray how he truly saw the man, an evil and dark human who did such terrible things. Alfred Krupp was an industrialist who supplied trains for the transportation of people to concentration camps and it is believed that soon after the photograph was taken, Krupp was captured and imprisoned. It can be inferred from Newman used this photo as a sort of revenge for his family and other Jews, capturing the true evil in this man and showing it to the world, in response to the disgusting acts he contributed to during WW2. The photo was taken at a train station in Germany, at the very station that people were taken away over a decade before.
An environmental portrait is a photograph executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings.
By photographing a person in their natural surroundings, it is thought that you will be able to better illuminate their character, and therefore portray the essence of their personality, rather than merely a likeness of their physical features. It is also thought that by photographing a person in their natural surroundings, the subject will be more at ease, and so be more conducive to expressing themselves, as opposed to in a studio, which can be a rather intimidating and artificial experience.
This project will allow me to explore this way of taking portraits, not only finding out about the person, but also about their surroundings. This creates a very interesting concept, the photo revealing more about the person being photographed than portrait photos normally do.
This image was taken by photographer Arnold Newman in Essen, Germany, 1963 and was taken of the industrialist, Alfried Krupp. Newman was a Jewish American photographer who was most well known for his environmentalist portrait style, often taking images of artists and politicians.
When Krupp first viewed his portrait he was furious as Newman had presented him in a villain. Newman later came out to say that it was his impression of a Nazi who managed to survive, yet killed millions. This was Newman’s own way of getting some revenge for the Jewish community.
Emotional Response
The image creates an emotional response for the viewer of anxiety and fear due to the shadowing on Krupp’s face. The image definitely depicts Krupp as the villain and gives off an ominous atmosphere.
Technical
This image was taken from a front angel using Krupp as the centre of the image. The two pillars behind him act as a frame and the back of the warehouse acts as sort of horizon line. The lights on the celling function as leading lines guiding the viewers eyes through the background scene.
Visual
In this image we are able to see a man in around his late 50’s wearing a black suit. He is shown with his fingers interlocked and placed under his chin. His surroundings are industrial, with graffiti on the pillars either side of him as well as the construction work behind them. We can also make out two trains, one a light blue, while the other is a burgundy red.
Conceptual
This photo was taken as a portrait photograph for a convicted Nazi named Alfried Krupp. While it was meant to show him in a positive view, the photographer, Arnold Newman, showed him in the opposite.
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 a good Environmental Portrait?
Good environmental portraits will tell strong stories of their subjects. Their immediate surroundings will give the viewer insight into where these people are, what they do, and who they are.
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.
“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”
An environmental portrait is a photographed portrait that captures subjects in their natural surroundings instead of in a studio or other artificial setup. Rather than focusing on what the subject looks like, environmental portrait photographers use the background to portray a truth or convey an idea about who the subject is. Shooting environmental portraits can be a great way to create visual interest while also revealing something about your subject’s life and personality. Environmental portraits provide context, something that studio portrait headshots often lack.
I believe that environmental portraits are an effective method of photography that shows someones story and can be interpreted in many ways, not just one.
Mood Board One:
This first mood board is inspired by the new skateboard park that has recently opened on the island. I believe this would be an effective photoshoot as many people have waited a very long time for this to open and it was up for debate for ages as to wether or not it should have been built.
I would be focusing on skaters face on portraits with the skate park in the background.
Who?
skaters.
What?
get head shots and full body photos, and also some photos of the actually skating.
When?
during they day or dusk so the lighting is good and not too bight.
Where?
Les Quennevais Skate Park
How?
1/200 f4.5 iso:100
Mood Board Two:
Who?
people who work in small local business.
What?
head shots of people with their business in the background or/and action shots of them doing their job
An environmental portrait is portrait of an individual or individuals that captures them in their natural surroundings/ work environment rather than a studio or artificial set up. An environmental portrait can reveal a lot about a person and can equally conceal. I think an environmental portrait can send a message to the audience about the subjects story as they come across quite cinematic and raw.
At the first glance this image makes me feel intimidated due to the direct eye contact from the the man and due to the hand placement it shows power and responsibility.
The photo was taken in a dark room it is a mid-shot, there is light shining on the mans face from either side leaving the centre of his face darker, the photographer used a good technique due to the top of the image not being over exposed at the top due to the natural light coming from the roof of the image, and how the lower half of the image isn’t underexposed. The photograph is pretty symmetrical on both, from the two pillars to the alinement of the cable barrels.
In the image you are able to see the shadows forecasted of the mans forehead, train carriages on the left and right hand side, the creases on the blazer the man is wearing, cable barrels, the outline of a crane.
The photo was taken to show the power Alfred Krupp had in world war 2 as he was a person who helped take jewish people to concentration camps by building railways and train carriages, he held the power to end millions of peoples life’s due to him helping the Nazis. He built them to get economic benefit.
