[Leica] Making portraits of people

[KCassidy at asc.upenn.edu (Kyle Cassidy)]

Taking photos of people presents a series of specific challenges which I
find personally entertaining and rewarding. One is to present someone in a
way that, if not unique, is conventional in a way that uses the rules of
photography to best exhibit that person. I realize I haven't been as gabby
on the LUG lately, I apologise. It's because I've been taking more photos
and have had less free time (digital was supposed to give us more free time
by keeping us out of the darkroom for so long, wasn't it?). In any event,
I'd like to share with you a few images from the last seven days of my life.

First two of Amanda from this past friday:

http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/7.jpg
http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/1.jpg

Amanda just happened into my life when she walked through the door with a
friend of mine Friday after work. After we'd sat around and thrown toys for
the cats to chase, got caught up on who was divorcing whom and figured out
what art openings we were or weren't going to later that evening, I
suggested we retire to the studio for a few photographs. (This happens to
virtually everybody who comes over to my house.)

I chose polar techniques to try and show her off, first cross processing to
try and present her as a denizin of an alien world where things are just a
little off kilter, and secondly with more traditional lighting techniques in
a more clinical way. This, to me, attempts to really remove that "outsider"
feeling and present her in the way that any photographer might represent any
subject. (Certianly something Irving Penn did better and with more
dedication than I).

One of Darenzia from last Saturday:

http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/28/1.jpg

Which uses natural light and an 80 2.8 wide open at 1600 asa in a pretty
traditional setup. Darenzia came down from New York to work with
photographer Jerry Bennett, afterwards she crashed in my guest bedroom and
went back to NYC the following morning. I've known her for years. Trivia:
for five years she was the photo editor at Penthouse magazine.

And finaly a band photo from this Sunday afternoon:

http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/dead.jpg

Which presented particular difficulties -- as do all band portraits.
Firstly, you want to give everybody an individual character, and allow their
personality to show through, you want to do it in an uncluttered manner, one
that conveys the sound of the band visually (this is, after all, primarily
an advertising photo) but at the same time, I want an image that reflects my
personal artistic sensibilities, ultimately I want it to be an art photo
that happens to feature models who work together in some other capacity.
This photo uses a studio umbrella, and selective dodging ,of faces, as well
as some good old fashioned levitation (everybody think hard: "light as a
feather, stiff as a board")

Aw heck, while we're here, let's do two band shots. Here's the other one:

http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/paw/2005/29/dead2.jpg

Same setup basically. All photos taken with a Leica d100.

Now back to whatever you were bickering about.

Keep pushing that shutter button, eventually it'll come unstuck.

Kc