Mario Testino "Alive"
Mario Testino is a Peruvian photographer who has created a legacy for himself as one of the world's most famous fashion photographers of our time. After moving to London at age 22, he gained photography experience through the various projects from his apprenticeships with John Vickers and Paul Nugent. He was able to bring a young and lively feeling to his work when recounting on his most precious memories of his childhood in Peru and the summers he spent in Brazil. This energy has become a signature style for Testino, and it can be seen especially in his most appropriately named photography book "Alive." He has a knack for capturing moments of excitement and freezing them, allowing the viewer to feel like they have an inside look on that specific moment in time. He has photographed celebrities at the Oscar's winning awards and even the royal family enjoying each other's company on a sunny day. His ability to make such a grand Hollywood event or high status celebrity have a sense of normalcy and intimacy is what makes some of Testino's "behind the scenes" photographs so much more successful and in a way, relatable. Even when he is not photographing the royal family, or the most famous Hollywood stars, his images often have a slight sense of movement and his use of longer exposure makes the photo seem more candid. It is as if you are walking along a bridge and you are so captivated by the city skyline that you need to take a picture, but are in such a rush that you don't have time to stop and fully focus on the scene. In turn, the picture seems slightly blurry and some of the lights end up fading together; however, it gives the image a more energetic touch. He uses his flash a lot, and to me it adds to the aesthetic of the photo. It wouldn't seem as authentic if the photo had proper studio light, or the subjects were super posed and "ready" for the photo. I can connect to the youth and energy in each picture, whether it be of a city skyline at night, or a group of young kids rolling around on the beach.
Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes "A Year of Mornings: 3191 Miles Apart"
After discovering each other's blogs in 2005, Maria and Stephanie felt a strange similarity and connection to each other through their interests and blog content which revolved around their love for arts and crafts, natural beauty, film photography, and living a simple yet meaningful life. Naturally, the two felt they should meet in person, and instantly hit it off. Even though they live 3191 miles apart, one in Portland, Oregon, the other in Portland, Maine, the two formed a blog in which they artistically document a picture everyday of one simple aspect of their morning. Both of them enjoy the relaxed and simplicity the morning brings and I can feel that in their photographs. They talk about the way in which they pay attention to the smallest of details, whether it be the doily pattern on their paper towel, or the way the sun hits the floor and shines on their daughter while she is tying her shoe. Those often overlooked details are what make their photography so special. They both have a clean and natural aesthetic in their images. The color palettes tend to be mostly neutral with subtle splashes of color. For example, there is a photo of a crushed up Robin's egg delicately sitting on one of their wooden tables, with the morning sun shining through the window naturally illuminating the image. The photo is simple and clean. There is a natural progression in the book from the first December mornings, through each season, ending back in December of the next year. Although there is a slightly distinguishable change in seasons, not much about the photo style changes because there is no set up or planning of the photo. There is a natural morning routine shown in each image, and while a routine may change depending on the season, their style of living does not, which is what makes the book and their photography seem cohesive.
Martin Parr "Real Food"
Martin Parr is a British photographer known for his satirical and exposing documentary style work. His father was an amateur photographer but also a member of the Royal Photographic Society; therefore, Parr took a liking to the art of photography at the young age of 14. Having developed his own personal style and common subject for his photography he has said that he likes to explore "the difference between the mythology of the place and the reality of it." This idea is definitely apparent in his book "Real Food" in which he shows the disturbing reality of western cuisine. There seems to be a discrepancy in the idea of western food and what people actually eat. He uses high saturation, a macro lens and ring flash in order to draw humor and exaggeration to the subject. The details in the plastic wrap and grease on the food is what draws you in. In a way it can be considered "food porn" because of how intriguing yet slightly disturbing the images are. To be completely honest, as interesting as the photos were, I genuinely got nauseous after looking through the book for too long, and had to put it down. It really captures the sad reality of how manufactured and artificial food has become.
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