Wenda, Times Square, NYC, September 1949
'After Van Dougen Vogue'
Norman Parkinson
This is my first ever blog enrty , and also my first ever blog ! Here is a photograph from the very talented photographer Norman Parkinson. I fell in love with this photograph its so beautiful and has a very calm feel . This photograph was created by a double exposure which gives a mystery to the composition .I also love how the female featured , his wife , gives the photograph innocence. The colours of the setting are soft and subtle which is unusual of the carnival setting , which are normally more bright and vibrant. I love how in the hustle and bustle of all the lights the central focus remains on Parkinsons wife. I cant imagine what this photograph would look like in black and white I think it would loose so much the colours make the photograph and the dreamy feel would be lost. The double exposure is shown through the movement of the lights and Parkinsons wife , her arm.
Here is a photograph from a Vogue issue ‘After Van Dougen Vogue’. I love Parkinson’s technical way of thinking. This photograph is beautiful and the model is not even in focus. The female is still a dominant part of the photograph because of her bold presence. Her lipstick and hat make her stand out from the background. She is wearing a very dominant outfit which gives her power. I like how Parkinson softens the feel of the photograph by focusing on the flower backdrop behind her. I think this softness her image and gives her a more subtle look. The ripped edges in the bottom of the frame suggest that she is not all perfect which I like. I can tell Parkinson thinks a lot about his composition and how he is putting his work across.
Links
www.tate.org.uk/.../streetandstudio/explore.shtm
http://www.normanparkinson.com/
http://www.staleywise.com/collection/parkinson/parkinson.html
its a female model - his wife! Can you expand on your description ie what difference does it make that its in colour rather than black and white, what about the content, point of view, framing etc
ReplyDeleteWhat I've always admired about good photography is how they manage to turn the almost mundane into something which is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYou can see it in posed shots where they've thought about the composition but you can also see it in candid shots where the photographer has just been lucky enough to be in the right place at the same time.
I'm not sure if that is something you can ever learn or if its something that you either have or don't have.
Opps sorry Julie ill get to that asap! and Rachel I feel exactly the same way I just think you know when you have the perfect shot you get a feeling im sure it will happen one day ! thanks for posting x
ReplyDeleteIts just good to see someone who really enjoys photography and who is probably waiting for that one perfect shot to come along.
ReplyDeleteI used to take some myself but I've not used my Nikon N90s for a few years now and I've really just got out of the habit of it.