Good our Bad Image ?
The most important feature of a photo is its ability to communicate with the recipient,, We often hear that the photo is ,,bad or good,, but does such a statement hold in the artistic world of photography?. From the point of view of commercial photography, there are narrow brackets in which the photographer is supposed to move. The ability to shape the lighting, adapt to technical conditions and using right equipment is certainly very important. Without the element of madness and artistic sense, the technique will only allow us to create a good sharp photo for the needs of ours customers. In order to go further up, we have to go beyond the brackets and create a ,,bad,, photo that will turn out to be a work of art.
Underneath, a short summary of 2 photos of my masters photographers from the past era ... what is good and what is bad photo?... answer to above questions is as varied as the variety of perception by an individual person.
Irving Penn, Marcel Duchamp (2 of 2), New York, 1948, gelatin silver print, image, 9 1/2 x 7 1/2", paper, 10 x 8", Edition of 25 © The Irving Penn Foundation from https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/irving-penn/
On this Image the model is limited by two walls, so it appears like a punishment, standing in the corner in a very limited space.
In the corner - Penn took similar photographs of well-known personalities from the world of culture, fashion, art, Photographer crowding models into the corner. Some of them clearly do not fit in this very specific framework, while others feel quite comfortable. I wonder why He chose such a form? Maybe he wanted to surprise the audience with something new in the world of traditional portraits. This is a naughty idea to put the celebrities into a corner but on the other hand, this photographer surprises the viewer with this unique form and environment.
Dovima with elephants evening dress by Dior Cirque
Photo shows a model in a beautiful dress, standing between elephants - this is Dior's advertisement.
This is a dress costing a few hundred thousand dollars, presented with elephants by Richard Avedon One of my favorite pictures, because of its influence in the world of photography.
I have to point out that for us today, such arrangements (particularly in fashion photography) are normal, but at a time when the picture was made, it was a novelty. Richard Avedon rejected the standards in force in women's magazines, He began to take modeling to the streets. Photographer was making images in motion, using dynamic and unusual poses. Seventy, or sixty years ago it was innovative because pictures of fashion were very similar to the image of mannequins in shop windows.
Avedon’s approach to photographing fashion was not only fresh, but also convincing - his method of work was adopted rapidly around the world. Richard Avedon was not only a great photographer but he was ahead of his time.
