Image analysis and research of famous portrait photographers; Rankin; Testino; Lise Safarti and Terry Richardson.

1. Photographing People

2. John Rankin Waddell Brief Background Rankin was born in 1966 in Scotland, he is a British portrait and fashion photographer. He started studying accounting, at the age of 21 he dropped and went to London College of Printing – as he realised photography was what he really wanted to do. Rankin worked along-side a man called Jefferson Hack who he met while studying, and as a result started a magazine called ‘Dazed & Confused’ . In 2000 Rankin launched his own quarterly fashion magazine called – ‘RANK’. Some of his subjects included celebrities such as; Britney Spears, Spice Girls, The Rolling Stones, Cate Blanchett, Kate Moss, Tony Balir, The Queen, Kylie Minogue and lots more. He has photographed some of the world’s most well-known brands; Nike, Umbro, Reebok, Rimmel, Levis, H&M…

3. How does Rankin Photograph people? Rankin has photographed many well-known people and campaigns/ brands. He has made television adverts; produced magazines and has worked in the fashion business. His work can be seen as quite shocking and at times pushes the boundary of pornography. He takes interest in taboo subjects that are revolting, frightening or strange. John Rankin tries to give meaning to his photographs and feels that they link into his life and that the photos he takes speak about him – he’s always found people interesting and enjoyed this element of photography as he believes that all people are beautiful. His images are often very vivid with his use of either black and white or coloured photos- both are very strong and visually interesting.

9. This photo is very interesting as it shows a naked woman with blonde hair, red lipstick and sandal-like shoes sitting on some grass, at night time – she is holding a pink dress over her body to cover the nudity. It appears as though she is wearing the dress but it is only simply covering her. The rule of thirds has been executed in this photo as the subject is placed in the right intersection – this creates an dynamic photograph. There is a good balance between light and dark as the background is dark and the foreground interest is light; the subject stands out and looks more vivid, therefore the woman is the focal point. The lines from the clouds and the edge of the silhouette background lead your eyes to the lady and also act as a natural frame which draws your attention to the woman also. Overall the photo looks fairly ordinary but when you look closer you can see the woman is actually naked and only holding the dress in front of her. The woman looks quite happy and it feels to me that she is being united with nature. I think this image is dynamic because it consists of surreal elements that are not obvious at first glance. The composition is effective because it appears to be shot at night time, yet you can still see the subject clearly. Because the background is a silhouette the image looks simple and uncluttered, which follows the rules of simplicity and makes the picture more interesting and eye-catching.

10. Mario Testino Brief Background Mario Testino was born 1954 in Lima (Peru) and is a professional photographer who specialises in celebrities and fashion – similar to Rankin. His work includes fashion stories for such companies such as Gucci and Vanity Fair. The range of celebrities of which he has shot include; Princess Diana, Kate Moss, Elizabeth Hurley, Madonna, Julia Roberts and much more famous models, actors and singers – even some royalty. His work is worldwide which exhibitions being held all around the globe, and he has also been featured on television documentaries.

11. How does Mario Testino Photograph people? Mario’s style has been described as ‘luxury realism’ and makes the elements within his image look the best that they ever will. His effective use of the rules of composition, the perspective, and props/costumes that are featured make the photos visually stimulating. The majority of his work is centred around the fashion world especially ‘Vogue’ – his photos have featured on many front covers of this worldwide fashion magazine. His photographs often give off feelings and emotions as the subjects show expressions and their body language is readable, the outfits and props are very outrageous and far from our values of norm, which he finds fascinating and so do the viewers.

16. Fashion is a part of who we are! I think this photo is really effective as the meaning of it is subtle yet so apparent when you realise it.

17. The initial photo is a close-up of a blonde-haired beautiful women with bright green/yellow eye shadow and shocking red lips, holding a safety pin to her eye with bright red fingernails. She is wearing a bright gold and purple bracelet. The rules of composition have been used skilfully here to create a really eye-catching image. There is no clutter and the image has got a very clear focal point ( the eyes). The photo is taken in portrait which suits the style of the subject. There is a good balance between light and dark which makes the face and features stand out. The safety pin and fingers act as leading lines which draws you to her eyes. I think there is meaning in this image. The eyes show pain and this is emphasised with the safety pin; this women is not happy – no matter how glamorous she is. She is looking directly into the camera which I think is intended to imply that she needs help. I think this photo is very visually stimulating and the colours are so vivid and vibrant that you are instantly drawn to it. The aspects of the photo are also interesting, the two features are juxtaposed both the eye and the pin, which are never normally seen existing side by side. This is one of my favourite images from Testino’s collection, I think that he has been very creative and his use of the rules of composition have enabled him to create a really effective photograph.

18. Lise Sarfati Brief Background Lise is a French photographer who has worked in the United States since 2003 she not only focuses on people, but the geography and culture surrounding them. Sarfati has held exhibitions is a wide range of countries travelled all over the world. Her recent work has been based in the USA. Her photos are usually simple, yet some do have clutter which is completely intentional as she wants to create a real feel to the environment and the viewer. Her work can appear vintage and back-dated and the style appears old yet this is intentional too, infact her work is quite recent and the subjects and background are composed to appear from a different decade. The majority of her photos are not vivid; they resemble old/vintage and faded photos which add the perception of the image. She created six different series of photographs; The New Life (2003) Immaculate (series, 2006-07) Austin, Texas (2008). Commission work published by Magnum Photos. She (2005-09) Sloane (2009) On Hollywood (2009-2010)

19. How does Lise Sarfati Photograph people? Lise focuses on the identity of the subject and understanding of the relationship of the person within the context. She also focuses on geography; the environment and culture of which the subjects is surrounded by. She skilfully uses the rules of composition; her images are simple and clean but highly complicated in terms of meaning and perception. The overall theme of her photos are of solitude and strangeness and the subjects are intended to express ambition and appear luminous.

25. This is an image of a women with short blonde hair, driving a car and looking into the wing mirror. The car looks old and so does the overall look of the image. There are trees in the background and a house/hut. The initial foreground interest is the mirror because it is closer to the camera, but the focal point is the woman in the car as she stands out, this is achieved by the balance of light and dark, and also the lines of the window that frame her. The image is simple and uncluttered which makes the image more dynamic. The women looks sad and looks as if she is unhappy either about her appearance, or something/one she can see behind her or maybe she’s sad she’s leaving and letting go of the past. The image looks as if it was taken decades ago because of the colour of the image, the car and the clothes the women is wearing. The image is interesting because the subject appears to be driving but there is no sign of movement or motion within the picture. The expression of the women is intriguing as the viewers wonder what she is looking at through the mirror- either herself, a rear reflection or simply she is sad about leaving something behind. Because of the props/costumes within the image, it appears old and as a result is intriguing.

26. Terry Richardson Brief Background Tony Richardson was born in New York in 1965 and was son on Bob Richardson – a photographer. Tony was in a punk-rock band in his early life, and became interested in photography after the band broke up and when his mother introduced him to Tony Kent (who hired him as an photographer’s assistant). He was raised in Hollywood and this is where he first started shooting and was hooked ever since. He has worked with such brands/names/campaigns such as; Gucci, Sisley, Miu Miu, Chloe, and his editorial work has appeared in magazines such as French Vogue, British Vogue, i-D, GQ, Harper's Bazaar and Purple, and his impressive list of subjects includes Daniel Day Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Vincent Gallo, Tom Ford, Jay Z, Kanye West, Johnny Knoxville, Karl Lagerfeld, Pharell Williams and many others. He is an international celebrity and one of the most compelling fashion photographers of his generation. His photos are distinctive and visually dynamic as well as out-right provacative. Terry has released several photo books including; Hysteric Glamour (1998); Son of Bob (1999); Feared by Men Desired by Women (2000); Too Much (2001); Terryworld (2004); and Kibosh (2006).

27. How does Terry Richardson Photograph people? His photographs are seen as autobiographical and are often of a sexual nature – he has shot photographs for advertisements, fashion designers and editorials. His photos are vivid, whether they are in colour or black and white and are visually shocking. Richardson is known for his provocative snaps and raw style which can visually appear to be humorous, beautiful, tragic and often sexual. Terry is hightly influenced by his American background; considering the props, background and essence of each image. The majority of his photographs are in colour and are very vibrant, visually interesting and intriguing. His fashion work is most interesting as the emotions of the models are very strong and can be sensed just by looking at them and the majority of them look happy which is a good alternative to the serious faces most models have.

33. This is a photo of a blond-haired woman kneeling on a bed with a blue leopard-print hand bag. She is surrounded by luxury; fur duvet, gold curtains, quilted headboard and technology. The woman is wearing hardly any clothes except a black mini skirt, a black-sparkly halter neck top and some high-heels. She looks miserable. The lady is slightly off centre and the walls around her frame her, so your eyes are drawn towards her. She is the main focal point, and foreground interest as the background is not as apparent. The grooves in the wall lead your eyes towards her head. The clutter in the photo is intentional as it adds meaning to the images, however is still doesn’t distract your attention away from her. The lighting is very effective and the light and dark elements are contrasted well – making the women stand out. I believe this woman feels uncomfortable in her surroundings as she looks unhappy and she is not familiar with a rich lifestyle. Her clothes look fashionable but quite cheap compared to her surroundings and this could be why she looks desolate and dismal. I like this image because of the deeper meaning it withholds. The photo has been cleverly composed to attract the attention of the viewer. The skilful use of the rules of composition have made the image more dynamic and made you focus on the main subject who gives off an essence and mood.