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Humans have been creating likenesses of each other for thousands of years, but with the introduction of photography, a new language developed for capturing the human image. Photography created opportunities for not just for biography and documentation, but also depth, empathy, and experimentation. Many portrait photographers today elevate their work from mere photo to art, communicating ideas and capturing the human subject with dignity, all while exploring the meaning and potential of portraiture.
Featuring:
Matt Hoyle,
Bex Finch,
Jamie Diamond,
Ethan Levitas,
Photographs by Ethan Levitas (in order of appearance)
1) Kelli O’Hara for The New Yorker
2) Dr. Mehmet OZ for The New Yorker
3) Jane Alexander for The New Yorker
4) Sheila Heti for The New Yorker
5) Bon Iver for The New Yorker
6) Takashi Murakami for The New Yorker
7) Hani Furstenberg for The New Yorker
8) Cai Guo-Qiang for The New Yorker
9) Seth Numrich for The New Yorker
10) Greg Ousley for The New York Times Magazine
11) “Past Perfect #3”, series from series, 1997
12) Cat Power/Chan Marshall for The New Yorker
13) “Group/Portrait #33,” Japan, from series, 1999
14) Nikolaj Hubbe for The New Yorker
15) Fiona Shaw for The New Yorker
16) Capt. Sam Brown for GQ Magazine
17) Ethan Hawke and Gordon Clapp for The New Yorker
18) Tristan Sturrock and Hannah Yelland for The New Yorker
19) Animal Collective for The New Yorker
20) Rudresh Mahanthappa for The New Yorker
21) Carol Bove for The New Yorker
22) Greg Ousley for The New York Times Magazine
Music:
1) “Dance of the Dragonfly” by Spiriax –
2) “Spirit” by Phyrid –
3) “Sadness” by Emorej –
4) “Waltz into the Moonlight” by Anitek –
5) “Arrival of the Birds” by Lara Bartlett –
6) “White Obsidian (Original Mix)” by Xan –
7) “instru07” by SeBTeiX –
More Off Book:
Online Privacy: How Did We Get Here?
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence
Dungeons & Dragons and the Influence of Tabletop RPGs
Are YouTubers Revolutionizing Entertainment?
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Comments
38 responses to “The Art of Portrait Photography | Off Book | PBS Digital Studios”
3:29 Thank me later.
https://youtu.be/i0a1_fFljc8
That's a great video…Here's another interview with well-known celebrity/portrait photographer Sam Jones. You may like this too https://blog.photowhoa.com/sam-jones-interviewed/
Photography is not art.
Great video. The constructed family is trippy!!
Excelente video, gracias.
incredible and valuable. thank you
Wow, as the saying goes "nothing new under the sun". I find so many similarities to an article I wrote recently on portrait photography https://mirchevphotography.com/photography-blog/the-essence-of-portrait-photography/
good
2:10 – Damn, that vocal fry! Can't listen to her.
Very interesting… Bravo
Can't describe how much I hate hate hate that dumb-fuck background music. Ruins this excellent video, but, sorry I just can't watch it.
wrong Egyptians were not the first Assyrians were, you're welcome
๐
I loved this video. Personally im working on a portrait series giving realism or a face to mental illness.ย My plan is to cover every mental illness.ย I started with depression and suicide. This shot was really successful and deep. My second is schizophrenia. Then I will continue from there on. Thank you for sharing this video very inspiring.Frank
Finally a video showing real artistry from amazing creators. Those images stay with you as you watch them
Any one know what that shark tooth patterned object between the camera and the subject seen at 1:20 is??
Could it be something for portraits to make some type of vignette?
This is absolutely beautiful.
Wow i love this video
Subscribed !! Great video and content
Beautiful video on portrait photography
this was a horrible video
I came for info and i got almost to tears by the story
Nice video, thanks
I really liked the constructed families series.
draws you in right? haha I also love it
5:49, beatiful
Fucking loved this. 4:15, super fascinating concept.
Very good video but just one thing, the music that starts around 5:20 is definitely not "Arrival of the Birds" by Lara Bartlett. I mean sure Lara posted this on her soundcloud but she does not mention that it's in fact "Saturn Strobe" by Pantha du Prince. Not cool.
"I wanted to give him the power over his image."
That was neat.
What?
If you guys want to look further into portraiture i highly recommend Benoit Pallie's 'stranger' project.
Thank you. This was thoughtful and inspiring
I dont know. What are you? What are we really?
Who does the guy with the glasses remind me of?
Added to MakerFlix(dot)com!
Photography today is all about gimmicks. Everything is based on some drunken conversation "wouldn't it be neat if we did X?", then adding some kind of self-serving explanation after the fact to make it seem meaningful. And, of course, that's where it should stay – as an idea floating in the bottom of a beer can.
I feel like the 'selfie' should have been included in the history? Maybe that would have distracted from the mystique of the piece as a whole.
Is that Dustin Browder sword swallowing?