Irving Penn - Portrait Master

Irving Penn was a famous American photographer, renowned for his portrait and fashion work. I have mentioned in previous posts that the art of portraiture fascinates me. I have previously looked at the work of Irving Penn in my academic studies, however I have found the images staying with me.



Above are two of my favourite portraits taken by Irving Penn. I find the compositions interesting and the lighting very complimentary to each individual image. I love the use of direct eye contact in the first image as I find it very engaging, almost creating a relationship between the viewer and subject. I find the lighting very interesting in both of the above images, as a strong use of shadow adds depth to each image. I would like to try and carry these elements through to my future portraiture work.

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