Some of the things he does well in his photography include:
- Savage experiments with lighting. Savage's photos vary from picture to picture as far as the light source, brightness of the photo, and how the light accentuates the subject. In one of the photos, the model is positioned next to a window with the blinds half-way open. The sunlight shining through the window creates shadow lines across the models face. Unconventional, yet intriguing picture!
- Savage uses the rule of thirds. Most photos in the gallery display the rule of thirds perfectly. Many of the models are positioned to either right or left of center, and the background scene filling the rest of the space is just as important to the photo as the main subject. One of my favorite photos is the black and white nature scene with the model in the forefront, holding a clutch purse and rose in her hands. Behind her is a pathways lined with trees on either side and a light source at the end of the tunnel.
- Savage varies "zoom." The subject of each photo is the model; however, some photos take a wider focus and the model only occupies a part of the scene, while some photos are zoomed-in on the model's face and neck. Photos that are close-up draw attention to the hair, makeup and jewelry, while the zoomed-out photos draw attention to the model's outfit. Varying "zooms" diversifies and makes the gallery visually interesting.
I am drawn to Savage's gallery because I love fashion and have done some modeling in the past. Savage does a great job of photographing the model in a way that both shows-off the clothing/jewelry and engages viewers.
Make sure you check out Johnny Savage's fashion portfolio. Are you impressed?
Wow! What a cool portfolio! I love how Savage utilizes all sorts of lighting to create incredible shadows. Savage is able to capture the model and make her the focus of the picture without losing the background. Even the photographs that he zooms in on you are still able to view the setting. One picture that I was drawn to is a close up of the models face and in the background you can see the headstones and crosses of a graveyard. It was a very cool, yet creepy effect.
ReplyDeleteOk, so call me shallow, but I feel like a lot of what I've learned about fashion photography has come from America's Next Top Model. Though I know it's probably a pretty skewed view, before the show aired, I didn't think the photographer's efforts were that important in a photoshoot. I really though the emphasis was more placed on how the model moved and posed, and the photographer was there to snap the picture and move on. After reviewing some photo slideshows, I realize that really, the photographer is the one that "constructs" the photo, and the model is just an accessory in the whole ordeal. The photographer has to be involved with the look, too, or the light won't fall correctly on what he's trying to capture (for example, the model who had yellow/pink eyeliner--the photographer has a say in color choice or he won't be able to capture a certain feeling he's trying to convey). His portfolio is really cool!
ReplyDeleteInteresting slideshow. Definitely highlights many of the concepts we've discussed in class.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I very much like your use of the word "constructs" in your comment. Do you think that also applies in spot news photography? What does that mean for journalists?
Absolutely not. I think "construction" of a photo, just like "construction" of a quote or a scene, would be very, VERY unethical. You are there to report the information, not create it. This includes being dishonest in photo editing.
ReplyDeleteA situation similar to this unfolded during Fox News' coverage of the 9/12 protest in Washington, D.C. According to The Huffington Post, Producer Heidi Noonan was caught on camera "rallying" a background crowd behind her reporter. Just like constructing a photo in spot news photography is unethical, constructing a scene for video footage is unethical. Here's the link to the story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/19/fox-news-producer-caught_n_292529.html