Introduction
Portraiture redefined art due to creation and enhancement of artistic value within the photography sphere. Artists such as Dorothea Lange, Roy DeCarava and Diane Arbus utilized portraiture to capture raw emotions and personalities of their subjects through use of different approaches of portraiture. The work of these artists inscribed new meaning to photography while at the same time challenging established ideas of photography by infusing new styles of photo portraiture. This report will analyze Roy DeCarava’s portraiture work in context of style and inspiration in relation to a recent photo portrait.
Analysis of Roy DeCarava’s Photography
Roy DeCarava was an influential photographer from New York, born in 1919; he is renowned for his photography work especially for highlighting and featuring black jazz musicians. His photography work also depicted the everyday lives of African Americans living in Harlem through the use of ACHROMATIC photography. …show more content…
Roy DeCarava’s ‘Woman on Train’ photograph was taken in 1961; it outlines the experience of a black woman in a train during the civil rights movement days in the United States. The photo is a resemblance of DeCarava’s photographic style which focuses on artistic infusion of urban black culture. The photo showcases a modern middle aged black woman in contrast to the negative aspects of urban black America highlighting the proclamation of black culture as beautiful. I choose DeCarava’s portrait since he used black and white photography which can easily be compared with other photo portraits in terms of VALUE PATTERN, CHROMATIC VALUE and TACTILE. Moreover, his portrait is a person outline portrait whereby proper lighting has been used compared to my portrait which defines form through the use texture and HIGH-KEY VALUE creating an image with proper tonal contrast. My photo portrait makes use of key light to model the shape of the child and bring into focus his face. DeCarava’s portrait on the other hand utilizes back light to focus on the subject and obscuring the background. DeCarava’s ‘Woman on Train’ subject lived in the same neighbourhood with the photographer and thus they shared the same experiences. Creation of images and photographs through the use of black and white photography enhances …show more content…
The portrait was captured through the use of the sun as a natural lighting source while the shoot was taken with the subject close to the camera lens. Moreover, I searched for reflections and silhouettes to ensure an enhanced image was produced while ensuring that cast shadows are less visible in the shoot. Consequently, the shoot was taken with subtle angels that were not eye level thus ensuring proper image perspective was achieved while off-camera flash shoot was engaged. My artwork outlines the emotional bond I share with my subject and the need to express and document these emotions through photo portraiture. Moreover, the audience of my portrait are confronted on the emotions, shared heritage and creativity of subject based on their perceptions. Consequently, DeCarava’s ‘Woman on Train’ portraiture depicts the creativity of the photographer and the creative use of lighting to produce a captivating shoot. Both these portraits share the use of creative lighting in capturing moments and emotions of subjects within confined spaces.
Conclusion
Roy DeCarava’s photo portraits such as ‘Woman on Train’, documented ordinary life in Harlem by employing different methods and concepts of portraiture. His ideas and goals are shared in the creation of new photo portraits in documenting moments and capturing the daily lives of ordinary
Portraiture redefined art due to creation and enhancement of artistic value within the photography sphere. Artists such as Dorothea Lange, Roy DeCarava and Diane Arbus utilized portraiture to capture raw emotions and personalities of their subjects through use of different approaches of portraiture. The work of these artists inscribed new meaning to photography while at the same time challenging established ideas of photography by infusing new styles of photo portraiture. This report will analyze Roy DeCarava’s portraiture work in context of style and inspiration in relation to a recent photo portrait.
Analysis of Roy DeCarava’s Photography
Roy DeCarava was an influential photographer from New York, born in 1919; he is renowned for his photography work especially for highlighting and featuring black jazz musicians. His photography work also depicted the everyday lives of African Americans living in Harlem through the use of ACHROMATIC photography. …show more content…
Roy DeCarava’s ‘Woman on Train’ photograph was taken in 1961; it outlines the experience of a black woman in a train during the civil rights movement days in the United States. The photo is a resemblance of DeCarava’s photographic style which focuses on artistic infusion of urban black culture. The photo showcases a modern middle aged black woman in contrast to the negative aspects of urban black America highlighting the proclamation of black culture as beautiful. I choose DeCarava’s portrait since he used black and white photography which can easily be compared with other photo portraits in terms of VALUE PATTERN, CHROMATIC VALUE and TACTILE. Moreover, his portrait is a person outline portrait whereby proper lighting has been used compared to my portrait which defines form through the use texture and HIGH-KEY VALUE creating an image with proper tonal contrast. My photo portrait makes use of key light to model the shape of the child and bring into focus his face. DeCarava’s portrait on the other hand utilizes back light to focus on the subject and obscuring the background. DeCarava’s ‘Woman on Train’ subject lived in the same neighbourhood with the photographer and thus they shared the same experiences. Creation of images and photographs through the use of black and white photography enhances …show more content…
The portrait was captured through the use of the sun as a natural lighting source while the shoot was taken with the subject close to the camera lens. Moreover, I searched for reflections and silhouettes to ensure an enhanced image was produced while ensuring that cast shadows are less visible in the shoot. Consequently, the shoot was taken with subtle angels that were not eye level thus ensuring proper image perspective was achieved while off-camera flash shoot was engaged. My artwork outlines the emotional bond I share with my subject and the need to express and document these emotions through photo portraiture. Moreover, the audience of my portrait are confronted on the emotions, shared heritage and creativity of subject based on their perceptions. Consequently, DeCarava’s ‘Woman on Train’ portraiture depicts the creativity of the photographer and the creative use of lighting to produce a captivating shoot. Both these portraits share the use of creative lighting in capturing moments and emotions of subjects within confined spaces.
Conclusion
Roy DeCarava’s photo portraits such as ‘Woman on Train’, documented ordinary life in Harlem by employing different methods and concepts of portraiture. His ideas and goals are shared in the creation of new photo portraits in documenting moments and capturing the daily lives of ordinary