Attached Link: Arnold Newman

I do not have the opportunity to take many portrait shots, but it is an area where I would like to take my photography at some time.

I am posting this link to Arnold Newman, whos photography I find inspirational. If a picture paints a thousands words then this photographer has it. Every picture says so much about the person. 

I open this for discussion - what do you think of these portraits , who inspires you, etc.

WOOOOW! Impressing site!!!! God so much and amazing works!!!! Have to peek more........... LOL

Thanks!!!

I'm lacking in experience in that arena as well, and photos like Newman's really serve to inspire. Thanks for sharing this!

Wow! I took a quick peek into his portfolio/portraits and that bloke sure knows how to compose doesn´t he?.. Most impressive indeed. I too would love to venture into portraits more..... but i just can´t get any women to pose nude for me. :m_tongue2: No but seriously...i´d love to do more portraits. It´s definitly the kind of photos i love the most working on.....but it seems as nobody i know are willing to put themselves infront of the camera. And i guess it is also because i feel kinda uncomfortable photographing infront of people anyway since everytime i bring out my camera amongst friends and family they all go on about what an idiot i am for spending so much money on a stupid "hobby". :sad: Thanks for sharing this link Richard. ....5.35am...time for me to leave work and head on home for some sleep....yaaaay for weekend!!!

Excellent photographer and thanks for the site link. I wish I had more time to browse the master works. I barely have enough time to browse here. As far as appreciation of portraits, I have to put in my vote for the painter John Singer Sargent. I have several volumes of his works. Even have his Madame X portrait as my cell phone screen. He's wasn't a photographer but he still inspires.

Took another look, now that I'm back at work and have a faster connection. I learned about his work in college...he IS amazing. Such emotion -- his images truly do tell a story worth 1000+ words, and capture the essence of his subjects. Something to aspire to...and Sargent is worth of aspiration as well. ;] re: his O'keefe/Stieglitz portrait -- it is ironice because my wife is a painter too. I guess we make a dynamic duo, lol.

Attached Link: http://www.horstphorst.com/index.html

I have attempted portraiture when painting,but at portrait photography,I find myself woefully lacking...as my gallery attests,lol...But I keep trying,and it doesn't hurt to have young daughters who fortunately aren't camera-shy.So,maybe one day  I'll get somewhere,...I hope...lol.

I have always been a huge fan of John Singer Sargent.His portraits were absolutely  gorgeous.Of course,Madame X being a particular favorite.

A huge inspiration to me, as far as portrait photography is concerned,is without a doubt, P. Horst. I've provided a link for anyone who would like to take a peek.(Hope it works.) I couldn't say enough to adequately express what  a genius I think he was...so I'll just say,his portraits leave me speechless....

Certainly a legend in the medium we can certainly learn from but hardly aspire to. Rather like walking around an amazing Gallery and seeing the work of the masters, we may like to do this ourselves, but how many of us can have either the opportunity or means... or the skills.. Muted Colours wonderful textures and superb backdrops.. Yeah we can learn a lot!!  The other wonderful talent is to get to know the subject thats a real skill in portraits and he has that awesome skill.. Every shot is simply superb, as all the top guys and gals are, too many to list ..

Wonderful collection and photographer Marlene. Thanks for sharing that link. I can imagine the work that went into setting up many of those shots. He captures quite a dynamic range. Bookmarked for later referrence!

Thx everyone - interesting replies I love reading them all :)

Thx Marlene!  the Horst site is very inspirational.

Two wonderful portrait photographers with different styles and using the medium in different ways, there is much to learn and be inspired by looking at their photography.

It is the way to go Marlene - practise, practise, practise - those guys were not born being able to take great photographs, and they are only showing you the best, not all the millions of others they took.  You've got the camera to do it   .

I moved into a house formerly occupied by a photographer from one of the large broadsheets that prides itself on it's artistic content. The house had been left just as it was nothing changed or taken, but thats another story. The darkroom was crammed full of prints you would not believe how many.  It took me years to look at them I still probably didn't see them all.

Funny, I can see such great images and truly be inspired.  Yet, I can learn some here and some there without copying or trying to copy.    Then, I can go to a museum of modern art and be inspired by the expression of creativity or "frankly wonder how in the..." did some of the stuff even get past the front door.  Different strokes for different folks.

With photos like such linked, there is no question about front door..it was opened with an excited welcome.  Thanks for the link to these some familiar, some less familiar but all wonderful shots.

Tom.

I with George Bernard Shaw when it comes to galleries.

When asked: "Which painting in the National Gallery would you save if there was a fire?

He replied: "The one nearest the door of course."

LOL at your quote,Richard,and your house sounds wonderful!

When I first began painting,I learned technique by copying paintings of old masters.There is much to be learned by copying and that is how many of them were taught ,as well.

I have not attempted to copy any 'master' photographers,but I assume there could be much to learn from doing so.I wonder if any of you have done this?

It could also be a wonderful challenge for this forum,I think.Just an idea...

Copying is a very valuable exercise IMHO.

Works more by copying a style in photography, usually.

I enjoy making images that are based on previous artworks.  That is I will go to a spot where a famous painting has been done and look to see if I can make a photograph the same. Sometimes it works - there are a few in my gallery. A project I also want to do is go to the spots that have changed and make an image there . I've started in a small way but it requires lots of time which I don't have at the moment.  Firstly there is the research once a suitable painting has been found to gather as much info as possible about location etc. Next it is getting to the location and surveying it for possible shots. I found that it works better in composite form than a single image so can mean taking 100's of photographs and then working them to produce one image as a modern representation of the painting. Better call that WIP though.

Ohhhh.That's right!I remember you telling me about that awhile back...The one's you had done were wonderful!

I didn't realise so much went into it.I can understand such an undertaking would become quite time-consuming...but judging by your results,well worth the effort.  :^)

Thank you for his great link... So much to learn from this photographer... + it's a delight to browse his pictures...

:~)