Portraiture x time- A portraiture style to take into consideration.

 

For a moment, forget about fancy lighting, forget about dramatic poses... 

Use time to replace all of this.

The story behind this photograph has inspired me to approach portraiture from a different angle. When photographing the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Avedon noticed how both characters weren't revealing their true personalities, instead merely smiling as if it was a photograph for the New York Times or something. It was fake. 

Avedon had noticed how the couple had a great deal of admiration for their bulldog, their pride and joy. It was during this moment of realisation that Avedon stated how his taxi had run over a similar looking dog earlier that day. Both of their faces dropped and Avedon shot this remarkable portrait.

Interaction and awareness with regards to the lifestyle his subjects had lived, Avedon has cleverly manipulated the couple into revealing a side of them rarely seen by the public. It is genius. 

Throughout my next period of experimentation, I will adopt this approach to portraiture. Merely using just a camera, time and my own perception of the character to perhaps reveal a side of them that is rarely seen.