Irving PennA Study Of His Still Life Work.

Photographs

A plain background, using a sheet of paper and smooth surface

Lighting is gently hitting both edges of the subject, creating diffused highlights and gentle shadows

Dirt and dust blemishes the paper, adding to the notion of degradation. Enhances the tactile (sense of touch) quality

Great care has been taken to preserve the smaller details – focus, bird’s eye view camera angle

Symmetrical

Well balanced

Cropped tightly to the subject – focus is purely on the object

“FINDINGS”

Today’s tasks:

Group A: Humphrey and Alicia - studio (20min), edits, analysis

Group B: Patrick and Ellie – analysis, studio (20min), edits

Group C: Dominic and Lucy – analysis, practice edits, studio (20min)

Work in studio in the following groups to photograph your objects, mimicking the style of Penn. Experiment with lighting, camera setting (ISO and white balance) – shoot on aperture priority (f/8 and above to gain maximum detail).Take 8-12 photos of each object, showing variety and skill.

Use the PowerPoint to begin your written analysis of Irving Penn and his “Findings” series, choosing one image to focus on.

Edit at least 2 images of each object in the style of your chosen Penn image – black and white layer mask, sepia photo filter mask, lighting through levels, cropping, adding a graduated layer mask to darken corners, etc.

Upload these as enlargements with annotations.

Key Questions to consider in your analysis

THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S INTENTIONS 1. What are the photographer’s aims and intentions?2. Who is the image for? Is it for more than one audience?3. Does the image successfully communicate the photographer’s

aims and intentions?  ANALYSING THE IMAGE 4. What type of photography is this? E.g. documentary, portrait, fine

art? 5. What is included in the photograph? 6. What message does the image convey? 7. What techniques do you think have been used to make the

image? 8. Has the image been staged? 9. Has the image been manipulated in any way?  PERSONAL RESPONSES 10.How does the image make you feel? 11.Does the image remind you of anything ?e.g. personal

experiences, other photographers’ work, etc

Biography Born in New Jersey in1917 Attended the Philadelphia Museum School, where he studied under Alexey

Brodovitch In 1937, a few of his painting were published in Harper’s Bazaar 1940-1941 he worked as the advertising director for Saks Fifth Avenue. After he spent time in Mexico painting he was hired by Vogue magazine to

create cover illustrations as well as photographing the covers and editorial illustrations for articles inside the magazine.

In 1950, he married his favorite model to photograph, Lisa Fonssagrives, with whom he founded his studio with in 1953.

They had one son who is named Tom. Lisa Fonssagrives, his wife, died in 1992.

Penn’s Work

His work did much to define post-war notions of feminine chic and glamour, which is what became best known for.

In his fashion and portrait photography, Penn preferred to use a neutral backdrop of gray or white seamless paper

He would use architecturally constructed sets which created striking effects with slanted, tilting , diving diagonals, and perspectives that would tip upwards.

His work was also important because it showed the balance of form and carefully adjusted composition, with shades of light and tone, presenting the subject as emotionally neutral or always kept at a distance emotionally and psychologically.

Why it’s Important

Influence

Penn has decided to photograph cigarette butts, crumpled wrappers, the torsos of plump artists' models, and most recently, still lifes of skulls, bones, and construction materials, which all seem very unfashionable, but have still influenced Penn and is photography.

Penn brought an unprecedented sense of drama to his portraits driving the viewer's focus onto the person and their expression which influenced many photographers to follow in his foot steps and their techniques

Who Influenced Penn :

Who Penn Influenced:

Irving PennThis photograph is also part of the collection ‘Findings’, this time showing scattered cigarette ends, a tangle of hair, and what looks to be a crumpled dollar bill. The lighting of this image is a very warm shade, collaborating well with the browns and yellows of the cigarettes. The corners of the image are slightly shaded, making it seem as though there was a spotlight hovering over the subject. The viewers will feel very engaged with the subjects because the photo was so taken close – up, making it seem almost confrontational, as though whoever has littered with cigarette ends are meant to feel guilty when looking at this image. By doing this, the mood of the image is almost accusatory and suspicious.Because a white background was chosen when setting up this picture, the smallest details are able to be seen. Details such as the speckles of dirt and, perhaps, ash that are amongst everything else – enhancing the effect of a unhygienic and filthy atmosphere.

Irving PennThis picture is part of a larger collection named ‘Findings’. The subjects that can be seen are, quite literally, things that have been picked up off of the street. From this we already know that everything photographed, in this collection, are the used, the not needed, or the unwanted.Here is a shot of apples that are too deformed or old to ever be sold in a supermarket. Instead they were probably thrown away whilst the rest of the better produce was shipped off. The overhead angle of this image makes the viewer feel as though they are looking down at these apples, as though this unwanted food is below them. I feel that taking the image in this way has a very dynamic effect of how the viewer observes it, it’s almost as if they themselves have came across these ‘findings’.The way the apples have been arranged is, also, very clever, as all of them are touching at least one other apple – creating an atmosphere of cramped and clustered disarray. This contradicts dramatically with the set up of the food coming together to create a square – a formation they would never be found in naturally.

Irving PennThis photograph was one of the last images from the collection ‘Findings’, with a sub-title of 1948. Despite being a part of Penn’s still life works, I feel as though it has certain documentary styled qualities. This is mostly because of the close-up range it has, and how it can appear plain yet interesting at the same time. The use of the rule of thirds has allowed this image to come over as more diverse, giving the viewers a better chance to observe the shadow created by the plate, whilst still being able to see that the plate is practically bare. The lighting is perfectly situated to create this shadow, and also the shadow of the left over food on the plate. By having it at angle like this, the light is reflected adequately off of the fish scales, and brings out the amber of the eye without causing it to appear as though it is looking right at the views. By doing this it gives off a mood of definite and death, without making people feel sympathetic. I believe that by doing this the artist is trying to give over the message of living without waste, and how sad – but necessary – it is.

Irving PennThis image, by Irvine Penn, was taken in 1999, named Vogue. Already a concept of a dispassionate and medical situation can be taken from the use of white, rubber gloves with a white table, and the use of force that can be seen in the way the this lobster claw is held with a hammer being brought down on it.I find this image interesting as it shows a food that is often thought as luxurious, being handled aggressively, as though this is what it takes to make such expensive and lush food. The hammer that was chosen as the prop is very worn and completely out of place from what is expected in this clinical environment. This creative decision may have been made to portray how even fist class food is prepared in very low quality, unhygienic conditions – disgusting the consumer if they knew. When looked at this way, an idea could be taken that shows that all people are the same, despite the differences on the outside.