Showing posts with label portrait. Show all posts
Showing posts with label portrait. Show all posts
Monday, 7 January 2013
Saturday, 2 June 2012
'I've had a lovely time' - Lucian Freud
After seeing Lucian Freud's exhibitoin at the National Portrait Gallery I was blown away, he is one of my favourite painters and finally getting to see his work live was incredible. The raw fleshyness of his paintings was fabulous, and you could tell the emotion behind both sitter and painter automatically. This was definitely one of my favourite exhibitions, so much so that I ended up buying Martin Gayford's Man with a Blue Scarf: On Sitting for a Portrait by Lucian Freud. I have always been a fan of Gayford, I think he is an extremely interesting art critic with a wonderful insight into the world of art. I especially became a fan of his after reading A Bigger Message: Conversations with David Hockney.
This book opens up both the mind of a world class painter as he works, as well as what goes through the mind of your "average joe" as they sit for a painting. Gayford describes his conversations with Freud in great detail, allowing us into the mind of a genius. These conversations are absorbing and entertaining as we learn of Freuds' relationship with other famous painters such as Bacon, his disdain for many other artists such as Leonardo diVinci who he claims 'someone should write a book about what a ghastly painter Leonardo da Vinci was', his daily routines and most importantly, how he begins, progresses and finally finishes one of his beautiful paintings. We also learn about his friendship with the infamous Kray brothers, something I found astonishing and hilarious at the same time. All in all it is a fascinating read into someone who has lived a life to the full, doing what he loves most, painting.
It was an easy, enjoyable book that I can see myself picking up again and again. So if you are fan of Freud's I urge you to read this insightful, witty and generally lovely book about Gayford's experience as a model for him. I think my favourite part was the last page, added after the death of Freud in 2011, which was extremely touching. Gayford quotes Freud saying 'I’m not frightened in the slightest of death; I’ve had a lovely time.” A poignant, true and simple take of what comes after a well lived and achieved life.
This book opens up both the mind of a world class painter as he works, as well as what goes through the mind of your "average joe" as they sit for a painting. Gayford describes his conversations with Freud in great detail, allowing us into the mind of a genius. These conversations are absorbing and entertaining as we learn of Freuds' relationship with other famous painters such as Bacon, his disdain for many other artists such as Leonardo diVinci who he claims 'someone should write a book about what a ghastly painter Leonardo da Vinci was', his daily routines and most importantly, how he begins, progresses and finally finishes one of his beautiful paintings. We also learn about his friendship with the infamous Kray brothers, something I found astonishing and hilarious at the same time. All in all it is a fascinating read into someone who has lived a life to the full, doing what he loves most, painting.
It was an easy, enjoyable book that I can see myself picking up again and again. So if you are fan of Freud's I urge you to read this insightful, witty and generally lovely book about Gayford's experience as a model for him. I think my favourite part was the last page, added after the death of Freud in 2011, which was extremely touching. Gayford quotes Freud saying 'I’m not frightened in the slightest of death; I’ve had a lovely time.” A poignant, true and simple take of what comes after a well lived and achieved life.
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Musicians Pose Again
Following on from my post on the 12th March, I have done a second shoot with some of the same, and some new faces, performing for me again in the studio. I am really pleased with this second shoot and feel I got the lighting perfect this time. Also the musicians were a lot more comfortable as they knew what to expect and this is apparent within the photographs.
I am really pleased with how this project is turning out and am going to do one more shoot before I settle on a final edit, though I feel I do have some final images already. This time I have kept an image that includes the instrument as well as cropping in on the faces so you can link them together better and see how their expression and style fits in with what they are playing.
Let me know what you think and how you feel the project is panning out so I can have more feedback before my final shoot!
Click on image to enlarge
I am really pleased with how this project is turning out and am going to do one more shoot before I settle on a final edit, though I feel I do have some final images already. This time I have kept an image that includes the instrument as well as cropping in on the faces so you can link them together better and see how their expression and style fits in with what they are playing.
Let me know what you think and how you feel the project is panning out so I can have more feedback before my final shoot!
Click on image to enlarge
Monday, 21 March 2011
The Photographic Bookwork
If your home is your castle, then indisputably the bedroom is your throne room. It is the place a seldom privileged few get granted leave to enter, and to the owner it is a sacred area to unwind from an oft cruel world and attempt to regain a sense of sanity.
This holds especially true for the hectic, ramshackle lifestyle of a student. It is one's place of sanctuary, a respite from the burdens of shared accommodation and the setting for multiple attempts at debauchery.
A bedroom can say a great deal about the inhabitant, and within these pages is depicted the boudoirs of a select group of individuals, with each shot delivering an insight into the hearts and minds of the souls represented within.
As those of you who keep up-to-date with my blog, you will know my Bookwork project has been all about bedrooms, and by photographing this intimate space I hoped to be able to create a portrait of an individual without photographing the person in question. So here is my book that I have created on blurb.com and has been sent off to be made. But until the final thing arrives, here is a sneak peak for all of you blogger fans out there! Let me know what you think!
This holds especially true for the hectic, ramshackle lifestyle of a student. It is one's place of sanctuary, a respite from the burdens of shared accommodation and the setting for multiple attempts at debauchery.
A bedroom can say a great deal about the inhabitant, and within these pages is depicted the boudoirs of a select group of individuals, with each shot delivering an insight into the hearts and minds of the souls represented within.
As those of you who keep up-to-date with my blog, you will know my Bookwork project has been all about bedrooms, and by photographing this intimate space I hoped to be able to create a portrait of an individual without photographing the person in question. So here is my book that I have created on blurb.com and has been sent off to be made. But until the final thing arrives, here is a sneak peak for all of you blogger fans out there! Let me know what you think!
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