Use the template below to help you analyse photos:
- Research the photographer
About Arnold Newman:
One of the most important photographers of the 20th century, Arnold Newman is known for his portraits of major cultural figures, such as Pablo Picasso, Aaron Copland, Marilyn Monroe, Donald Judd, and Josef Albers.
Newman was credited with popularising environmental portraiture, a style that captures subjects in their surroundings and uses significant details to communicate their profession and personality.
Newman’s famous photograph of Igor Stravinsky, for example, is dominated by a grand piano silhouetted against a white wall, with the composer confined to the corner.
2. Analyse a chosen photo in depth:
Expand on the below bullet points, turn into full paragraphs.
Visual:
- Sitter is the main focal point
- Central
- Framed by concrete pillars – cold – industrial
- Sitter is leaning forward into the photo – with clasped hands and strong eye contact- confident – sinister
- Background is industrial… it looks as though the sitter is in ownership or in charge of the environment
- Leading lines – from the top of the image, lead to the sitter’s portrait
- Balance – Light on the top of the photo, contrasts the dark on the bottom – creating balance
- Contrast- strong contrast…. exaggerates the sinister atmosphere
- The sitter appears raised / elevated above the background – he’s in charge
Technical
- Lighting – Could be artificial – creates strong contrast on the sitter’s face. Making him look more sinister and darkening his gaze
- Aperture – Could be medium aperture – Sharp foreground, slightly softer background. Still able to identify some of the environmental details.
- Shutter speed – could be quite a fast shutter speed as the subject is in focus, with a balanced exposure
- Angle – Eye level with the sitter – feels like we are sitting opposite them. We connect with them more. Maybe we feel more intimidated…. Sitter looks more confrontational.
Contextual
Use the internet to help you unpack more about the subject
- Who is the subject? – Alfred Krupp
- Industrialist who ran war factories manufacturing arms for the Nazi assault on Europe.
- Using slave labour from the internment camps, where the prisoners of war were literarily worked to death.
- The majority of the men and boys who perished were Jewish and Krupp holds a particular place of hatred amongst its people.
- Arnold Newman was Jewish himself
- Reluctant to take photo but eventually agreed
- When composing the shot, Newman asked Krupp to lean forward slightly, when he did he clasped his fingers together under his chin.
- The light hit the face perfectly and when Newman saw this effect he said ‘That he felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck’.
- He took the photo which became one of Newman’s most iconic images.
Concept:
- When Krupp saw the picture he was said to have been furious
- For Newman this was a little bit of revenge.
- The photo captures Krupp in a sincere and menacing light
- The circulation of the photo brought Krupp out from the shadows and allowed Newman to share his hatred for his man with the world.