تويت
يوسف كارش : التصوير الكلاسيكي .. تطوير نهجك الخاص .. المرشد خطوة بخطوة للتصوير الفوتوغرافي
YOUSUF KARSH : Classical portraiture
The Armenian - born photographer Yousuf Karsh is the most celebrated living repre- sentative of the classical tradition of studio portraiture . A portrait by Karsh is seldom naturalistic his approach is formal and controlled . He works mainly in the studio and poses his subject , using artificial lighting , with few or no props , to obtain the effect he wants . For almost half a century he has photographed some of the world's most famous men and women statesmen . popes , scientists , writers , musicians , and artists have all sat for his camera . Posing for Karsh was long considered to be one of the hallmarks of distinction or success .
The Karsh style has been immensely in- fluential on other portrait photographers . particularly in the 1940s and 50s . His critics would argue that his idealistic interpre- tation of character works against him - that he imposes his own philosophy too strongly on his sitter . None can deny how- ever that his portraits are executed with superb craftsmanship .
His work is characterized by his classical Hollywood style of lighting , producing bril- liant highlights , rich textures and extreme overall sharpness and detail . Every hair , every pore and wrinkle of the skin stand revealed in the final print . Usually Karsh concentrates on his sitter's head , or head and hands , lighting them in such a way that they stand out strongly against a plain dark background . This gives his portraits the qualities of monumental strength , dignity , and grandeur for which he is renowned .
Karsh has stated that he would like his portraits to be seen as historical documents . He is more concerned with capturing the mind and soul of his sitters than their ap- pearance . Therefore he portrays his subjects both as they appear to him and as they have impressed themselves on their generation . His expressed philosophy is that there is a " moment of truth " when the photographer can record the " inward power " that reveals his subject's greatness .
His favorite format is an 8 x 10 ins stand camera . But his equipment also includes : 5 x 4 ins and 24 ins square cameras . For lighting he generally uses powerful floods and spotlights , made specially for him , but when travelling he carries studio flash . With- out such intense lighting he could not use the small lens apertures needed to gain sufficient depth of field with his large format cameras . His final prints are usually 16 x 20 or 30 x 20 ins .
Martha Graham , 1948
Karsh photographed the dancer sitting on a stool , as the room had a low ceiling . But even sitting down . she seems to be dancing . Hard frontal lighting accentuates the face and hands .
Pablo Casals , 1954
An unusual Karsh portrait in its use of a rear camera viewpoint and back lighting . Karsh photographed the cellist in an old deserted abbey in France . The portrait suggests immense physical and spiritual strength despite the small size of the old man . Karsh once asked a visitor to one of his exhibitions why he was staring at this picture for so long . " I am listening to the music " , he replied .
George Bernard Shaw , 1943
Shaw's quizzical expression adds great life to the classical pose ( reminiscent of the Old Masters ) in the portrait below . Karsh used strong lighting to bring out a wide range of textures and to highlight Shaw's head and hands .
Jan Sibelius , 1949
Taken in Finland , the composer's home country , this portrait has all the strength and dignity of a monumental sculpture . Double side lighting with reflector fill - in creates a strongly framed head and rich tonal contrasts .
YOUSUF KARSH : Classical portraiture
The Armenian - born photographer Yousuf Karsh is the most celebrated living repre- sentative of the classical tradition of studio portraiture . A portrait by Karsh is seldom naturalistic his approach is formal and controlled . He works mainly in the studio and poses his subject , using artificial lighting , with few or no props , to obtain the effect he wants . For almost half a century he has photographed some of the world's most famous men and women statesmen . popes , scientists , writers , musicians , and artists have all sat for his camera . Posing for Karsh was long considered to be one of the hallmarks of distinction or success .
The Karsh style has been immensely in- fluential on other portrait photographers . particularly in the 1940s and 50s . His critics would argue that his idealistic interpre- tation of character works against him - that he imposes his own philosophy too strongly on his sitter . None can deny how- ever that his portraits are executed with superb craftsmanship .
His work is characterized by his classical Hollywood style of lighting , producing bril- liant highlights , rich textures and extreme overall sharpness and detail . Every hair , every pore and wrinkle of the skin stand revealed in the final print . Usually Karsh concentrates on his sitter's head , or head and hands , lighting them in such a way that they stand out strongly against a plain dark background . This gives his portraits the qualities of monumental strength , dignity , and grandeur for which he is renowned .
Karsh has stated that he would like his portraits to be seen as historical documents . He is more concerned with capturing the mind and soul of his sitters than their ap- pearance . Therefore he portrays his subjects both as they appear to him and as they have impressed themselves on their generation . His expressed philosophy is that there is a " moment of truth " when the photographer can record the " inward power " that reveals his subject's greatness .
His favorite format is an 8 x 10 ins stand camera . But his equipment also includes : 5 x 4 ins and 24 ins square cameras . For lighting he generally uses powerful floods and spotlights , made specially for him , but when travelling he carries studio flash . With- out such intense lighting he could not use the small lens apertures needed to gain sufficient depth of field with his large format cameras . His final prints are usually 16 x 20 or 30 x 20 ins .
Martha Graham , 1948
Karsh photographed the dancer sitting on a stool , as the room had a low ceiling . But even sitting down . she seems to be dancing . Hard frontal lighting accentuates the face and hands .
Pablo Casals , 1954
An unusual Karsh portrait in its use of a rear camera viewpoint and back lighting . Karsh photographed the cellist in an old deserted abbey in France . The portrait suggests immense physical and spiritual strength despite the small size of the old man . Karsh once asked a visitor to one of his exhibitions why he was staring at this picture for so long . " I am listening to the music " , he replied .
George Bernard Shaw , 1943
Shaw's quizzical expression adds great life to the classical pose ( reminiscent of the Old Masters ) in the portrait below . Karsh used strong lighting to bring out a wide range of textures and to highlight Shaw's head and hands .
Jan Sibelius , 1949
Taken in Finland , the composer's home country , this portrait has all the strength and dignity of a monumental sculpture . Double side lighting with reflector fill - in creates a strongly framed head and rich tonal contrasts .
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