Photog

“The secret to taking the best “people pictures” is to observe your subjects, connect with them, and use your camera to its best advantage.”

This project seeks a detailed exploration into the world of candid photography, questioning and in search of the true meaning of the word ‘Candid’. I became interested in Candid photography after looking at the work of Corrine Day particularly her collaboration with Kate Moss, appreciating and capturing her natural beauty, inspired by this I decided to look into what other forms of candid photography and photographers there were, delving into the history. This project reveals the beauty but also the intrusion candid photography can promote.

Firstly I decided to explore into the variation of definitions for the word Candid: ‘

•‘Honest’ ‘honest or direct in a way that people find either refreshing or distasteful’.

•‘Photographed informally’ photographed/filmed without the subject knowing or having time to prepare or pose.•‘Informal or Natural’ ‘especially caught off guard or unprepared’.

Synonyms;Blunt, Genuine, Honest, Open, Unconcealed, Just, Unbiased, Unreserved, Pure, Sincere-

Frank, Truthful , Outspoken,

Straight Unconcealed,

Upfront, Straightforward,

Forthright-

Since the early days of photography portraiture has been an important genre. The earliest portrait

photographs resembled the portrait paintings of the time. They would have been commissioned photographs and because of the technology of the time they were usually taken indoors using natural light and were quite formal in composition. Because exposure times were lengthy the sitters had to adopt a posture that they could hold. Usually the subjects were seated or leaning against an object and often their hands were out of sight to minimize movement. The photographic style of Nadar was typical of the era as shown (second top right) in this image of the actress Sarah Bernhardt.

As technology improved and the use of artificial light became more commonplace, this meant that exposure times were shortened and more natural portraits began to appear. These later pictures by Nadar and Julia Margaret Cameron both shows a more relaxed and candid nature, which is more in keeping with modern day portraiture. Cameron in particular had a more creative approach making use of props and backgrounds in order to create her images, many of which were used as illustrations.

With the advancement of technology, came new opportunity, this enabled Candid photography to branch out and with the making of the film Fellini's La Dolce Vita in 1960, and the Paparazzi was born. This gave the word Candid a whole new meaning laying the foundations for what ‘The Press’ have become today. Since then the press have become more and more intrusive and could now be described as to promote voyeurism, similarly to Ruth Adams and Sophie Calle’s work. The Paparazzi generally take un-staged, candid photographs of ‘celebrities’ from the red carpet and even venturing into their private lives with the use of telescopic camera lenses, in hope of capturing something entertaining or picking up on ‘the hottest celebrity gossip’ etc, these photographs are then sold to hundreds of newspapers, magazines, TV and website networks worldwide. Recently this form of candid photography expanded even further, with the set up of a new mobile phone service for leading paparazzi figure, Darryn Lyons (top right) founder of ‘Big Pictures’ photo agency and his website, ‘www.mrpaparazzi.com’ in order to encourage camera phone photographs of celebrities to be sent in.

I do not agree with the exploitation and disruption the press brings to celebrities’ lives, in order to keep up to date with the ridiculously high public demand for the latest ‘celebrity gossip’, however I do understand that the stars rely on this media attention in order to increase or keep their reputation and publicity. This nonetheless can sometimes have a bad effect on the star, when they crave the media’s attention, doing anything in order to receive it, for example Britney Spear’s endless trips to rehab and public stunts. I can only think to describe these motives best as an endless, vicious cycle.

“The images centre on the watcher, the voyeur. The work shows everyone how it feels to be watched, to have one’s private space invaded, to be vulnerable without even knowing it. At the same time the images are intriguing enough to force the viewer to become the voyeur, to really want to stare and examine the subject of the image.”

I have studied Ruth Adams’ ‘Privacy vs. Voyeurism’ project and found references in her work which are comparable with Sophie Calle’s ‘Suite Vénitienne’, both exploring into Voyeurism of different forms. Whereas Calles’ work is just an interest and study of other people’s behaviour, Adams reveals the darker side of Voyeurism referring to perversion as she intends to ‘open the viewers eyes’, seen in her artist statement. Her work is an extreme and intrusive approach to drawing attention to the issue, portraying a direct insight to what the voyeur would see, making the viewer feel uncomfortable by intruding into the most private aspects of a woman’s life whilst they are totally unaware. It is almost an abuse of Candid photography, the ghostly style depicts a long exposure time, as though the voyeur has been watching and waiting. I also think that her work alike Sophie Calles’ relies on the concept behind it being particularly controversial. There is something quite intriguing and fascinating about Ruth Adam’s work, I think that it makes the viewer feel ‘in control’ yet vulnerable and scared at the thought of it could have happened to them or the people around them without them even being aware.

‘I followed strangers on the street. For the pleasure of following them and not because they particularly interested me. I was photographed them without their knowledge, took note of their movements, then finally lost sight of them and forgot them.

At the end of January 1980, on the streets of Paris, I followed a man whom I lost track a few minutes later in the crowd. That very evening, by chance, he was introduced to me at an opening. During the course of our conversation, he told me he was planning an imminent trip to Venice.’

Sophie Calle a French writer and conceptual artist/photographer is someone who has particularly interesting perspective on ‘Candid photography’. Through her projects such as ‘Suite Vénitienne’, ‘La Filature’ and ‘The Cash Machine’, that practically promote voyeurism, she investigates and analyses the lives of herself and other people. Inspired to start her work as a photographer and observer after travelling the world, and returning home to Paris only to feel isolated. Acting as a detective in her project, ‘Suite Vénitienne’, ‘Please follow me’ she follows a man around Venice referred to as Henri. B analysing and photographing

his presence and activity, following on from this she also takes part in her own ‘cat and mouse’ chase after getting her mother to organise a private inspector to do the same, Calle claimed she wanted ‘photographic evidence of her existence’.

Her work gives the word ‘Candid’ a whole new definition, and in my opinion a much more sinister one due to her stalker-like behaviour, intruding into the private lives of others in comparison to the candid style of someone like, Henri Cartier Bresson, who captures ‘beautiful moments’ in a much more respectful manner, she appears to be more comparable to the paparazzi. Perhaps this is why I admire her work so much due to it pushing

the boundaries and putting a new perspective on candid

style of photography. Observing and giving the viewer an insight into other people’s lives focusing on question of identity and intimacy, something which I find interesting. In her piece ‘Cash Machine’, 1991, obtaining photographs from a security camera, which exposed how even the simplest encounter between man and machine can evoke a variety of emotional responses, loss, hope, disappointment, fear, violence and joy. Calle draws the viewers attention to behavior of the people around us yet unlike the paparazzi she does not exploit it, but welcomes it with open arms, analyzing it and presenting it to us in a very ‘classic’, honest style.

I really enjoy Calle’s work there is something very captivating, yet slightly devious about viewing it, as it feels like you shouldn’t really be looking at it, although this gives an impulse to view it more. Her concepts are an important component of her work which makes it even more interesting in my opinion, as this makes her work quite personal to her and are often very mysterious, it gives me an interpretation of her thoughts and aims behind her pieces also this sense of mystery leaves the viewer wanting to know more, therefore referring back to the concept. I also think that the presentation of her work in black and white also adds to the ‘honesty’ of her candid work, as the viewer is confronted with the subject and is not distracted by anything else, therefore it allows viewer to focus on the subject wholly.

In an interview for the March issue of Vogue magazine, "I wanted the shots to be genuine, so that when people look at them, each picture will say something different.”

Another style of candid photography which I have chosen to study is Corrine Day’s series of 9 Kate Moss portraits, which originally inspired and influenced me to base this project on Candid photography. I was first introduced to Corrine Day through a collaboration with a photographer friend who photographed portraits of me in the style of her (see next slide). The photographs are developed through a serious conversation between sitter and photographer in order to capture the sitter in natural manner and to bring out true character, in this case, Corrine Day has brung a new face to our usual perception of Kate Moss, portrayed glamorously across the fashion media. Immersed in the conversation Kate Moss is presented to us in nine black and white frames against plain backgrounds, again similarly to Sophie Calle’s work this gives it an ‘honest’ style and enables the viewer to focus on the subject wholly and not be distracted by any outside matter-

A similar project to Day’s ‘Untitled’ Kate Moss portraits, is Andy Warhol’s ‘Screen Tests’ shot between 1963 and 1966. These silent short films included a range of close-ups of celebrities from Edie Sedgwick to Salvador Dali .The sitter was instructed to sit still for the duration of the roll of film, resulting in portraits of those who felt at ease, unease and those who cracked, delving into and revealing the true character of the celebrity sitter showing a different side to them, similar to Day. Warhol also manipulated light and shadow to capture the mood, appearance and personality of the sitter. Similar to Calle, both Warhol’s and Day’s work is focused more on the concept rather than the aesthetic quality.

“Seeing Dali's unease become evident is at once intimate and very cruel - a man falls apart in the light and lie of fame. Warhol's screen tests have a probing persistence that makes them real records of people living and dead.”

This collaboration between me and a photographer friend, Chris Parker, features me playing the part of Kate Moss in Corrine Day’s series of candid portraits. They were developed similarly to Corrine Day by a conversation between sitter and photographer, therefore capturing me in a much more natural state, this was partly due to the comfortable and relaxed discussion and atmosphere. Not only this but my appearance is very toned down, catching me after work, with little make-up on this also shows another side to me.

I think the photos are similar in style yet differ in aesthetic

quality as they are not such close-up frames, I feel this gives it more, with the addition of the posture and body language alongside the facial expression, which Day focuses on with Kate Moss. This is something the photographer wanted to capture, describing me as very ‘expressional’, particularly through my use of hand gestures. The best image is displayed, top right I feel this photograph has captured me at the ‘decisive moment’ alike Henri Cartier Bresson, when I appear to be lost in the conversation with my friend and almost ‘unaware’ of the camera. I really like the concept of these works and love the fact that I am actually part of it.

Here are a few more of my collaborative photographs in the style of Corrine Day although they are not framed or captured quite as well as my ‘final image’ shown on the slide before, they do however continue to show an interesting perspective on candid photography. The longer in which I was in front of the lens the more used to and relaxed I felt, therefore by the stage I was at in the centre image and final image on the other slide, I was completely lost in the motive and aim of the photographer enabling him to capture me in my true element. I think the project was very successful and again the greyscale and plain background adds to the honesty and therefore candid nature of the image. The focus on my expression and body language is comparable with Sophie Calle’s study of other people’s behaviour.

Richard Billingham’s take on Candid photography is through various ‘documentary’ based projects on his own family & home life. This innovative move invites the public into an ‘urban existence’, exposing Billingham’s dysfunctional family, revealing his alcoholic father, troubled brother and huge physically of his mother. Capturing a Glimpse of their shambolic everyday existence the viewer is uncomfortably confronted, this in turn opens the viewers eyes to whole new culture which is generally alien to most, although Billingham states this wasn’t his intention, it does however create this effect. His family are almost exploited, a style more similar to the press than to photographers like Corrine Day, however this observant manner is quite similar to the style of Sophie Calle. He took so many photos of his family, that they became unconscious and accustomed to it, this enabled him to portray a genuine depiction of their normal behaviour.When studying his pictures they made me feel slightly uneasy at first, however I grew appreciative through my curiosity and interest in this ‘alien’ world. I think that these photographs are a gateway for the public into other areas of life, I believe this is very important aspect of living and life experience.

'it's not my intention to shock, to offend, sensationalise, be political or whatever, only to make work that is as spiritually, meaningful as I can make it - in all these photographs I never bothered with things like the negatives. some of them got marked and scratched. I just used the cheapest film and took them to be processed at the cheapest place. I was just trying to make order out of chaos.‘ -Richard Billingham

These close-up portraits of my friend were taken and edited by me, as I tried to capture him in a more natural and truthful manner similarly to Corrine Day, being relaxed in front of the camera anyway I was able to capture some really effective photographs. I love the casual expression and attitude, I think they portray his laid-back personality as well as the use of sepia toning and grain helped give the images character. I really think the central image I really caught the decisive moment perfectly similar to Henri Cartier Bresson, with the composition and facial expression it has a very similar outcome to my collaborated project in a Corrine Day style.

Henri Cartier Bresson, French leading individual of modern Photojournalism, and influential street photographer in the 1930s. His interpretation of Candid photography was his undeniable and renowned talent of capturing the ‘decisive moment’, in which the subject is unaware and lost in whatever they were doing, therefore creating informal yet very truthful portraiture, similarly to Corrine Day and even Richard Billingham to a certain extent. However not only did he have a good sense of timing but a very sophisticated and creative style of composition, in order to capture the moment perfectly. In 1945 he photographed the liberation of Paris and from 1947 he travelled East for 3 years before returning back to Paris where he published his first book, ‘Images à la Sauvette’ (The Decisive Moment). Therefore opening and confronting the viewers eyes honesty to culture and happenings around the world.

Cartier Bresson was revolutionary and showed what I feel an artistic and interesting perspective of candid moments, influencing photography for generations to come, something I really appreciate. I also really enjoy the universal appeal to his work, as each moment tells a different story and appeals generally to everyone.

‘For me the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition

and spontaneity, the master of the instant which, in visual terms, questions

and decides simultaneously. ... It is by economy of means that one arrives

at simplicity of expression.'

This is a typical and famous example of the beauty of Henri Cartier Bresson’s style. His ability to capture wondrous and striking moments in a candid format, is what makes his work so unique and influential, fathering the ‘street photography’ style. Everything about this photo helps capture the moment this couple are sharing perfectly, from the composition to the lighting to the tone and shadow. I also believe that the use of Black and White also adds to the overall effect of this image plus Cartier Bresson’s style in general. The eye is immediately drawn into the middle where the subjects are sharing this decisive moment and then the viewer realises the added details such as, the dog watching and the reflections on the window pane, all adding to the composition and mood of the picture. I have tried to capture a similar moment between me and my boyfriend, which I think was quite successful however i imposed my

‘Kiss’, 1969

own warm toned individual style. Similarly to Bresson though, the eye is drawn in centrally where the tender moment is being shared-

This candid photograph presents an informal portrait of myself, it was developed alike Corrine Day’s photos of Kate Moss during a conversation with my boyfriend. Although it was captured much more spontaneously, whereas Day’s was set-up, because of this it reveals me in a

completely natural and unaware state. I used picture editing

software, (Paint Shop Pro XI) to inflict soft focusing and control lighting and colour levels. The outcome of the photograph is similar to David Hamilton’s work who also made use of soft focusing to inflict a ‘fairy tale’ like style. However my photo includes much more summery and warm tones in comparison to Hamilton whose work is much colder therefore making it much more dramatic. My aim was to create a photo that was personal to me yet easy for other viewers to look at and enjoy.

Rwanda, 1994-Survivor of Hutu death camp.

“ I am a witness and I want my testimony to be honest and uncensored. I also want it to be powerful and eloquent and

do justice to the people I'm photographing." — James Nachtwey

Inspired by the American Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, James Nachtwey self taught himself photography in order to become a war photographer and photojournalist. His first foreign assignment came in 1981 when he recorded the IRA hunger strike of Northern Island. Since then he has travelled and exhibited internationally including, Afghanistan, Somalia, Romania and South Korea. His extensive travel enabled him to capture photographs that recorded pain and suffering, war, culture and ongoing issues in which he attempts to let the images speak out to the viewer, almost like a cry for help, and open their eyes to the suffering they are unaware of. His artistic ability to be able to capture the unpleasant subject in a way that describes the issues best, a talent similar to Henri Cartier Bresson, with the decisive moment-

I admire his bravery and talent to provide the world with shockingly honest images of witness, his style of Candid photography is devised to break our isolation by confronting us with the blunt and honest truth, he aims to concern and provoke people into action. Although the subjects are often distressing his style is very sophisticated with his interesting use of composition and adaption to bad lighting reveals artistic talent. Again similarly and typically of candid photography he displays his work in black and white which I think communicates a very classic and honest style.

This photograph was taken by me of my teacher, it has an informal notion and is comparable to the work of a candid photographer Keith Moss who describes candid photography as ‘Just life’. I think this expression describes the beauty of Candid photography perfectly, as it is nothing more nothing less. I really like this Diptych portrait as I love the pensive facial expression on her face as if she is lost in her thoughts, it is similar to the photograph below taken by Keith Moss showing the subject dazing dreamingly into the distance. I love the use of shadow and toning which I edited using Photoshop I think that this adds to the picture as

“I am a Fine Art, black and white Photographer, specializing in Landscape, Seascape and candid people Photography, which I call "Just life."

it represents the shadow of thought cast over her mind at that decisive moment in time, also it is much more apparent being black and white.

When I started this investigation into the definition of Candid Photography I had certain expectations of what Iwas going to discover however through my research I have

found that there are many different approaches and ways of looking at Candid photography, some of these are to do with different genres and others are because of technological advances.

Initially portraiture was more formal yet with advances of technology such as the use of Electrical Lighting and shorter exposure lengths, this enabled a gradual escalation of creativity and innovative design. Since then Candid Photography has developed and expanded, into diverse fields of Photography, from War Photography to a more Artistic approach to Conceptual Photography. From my original interest in Corrine Day’s series of informal Kate Moss portraits which led me to undertake a collaborative project myself, this gave me an indication of what Candid Photography is. However I have since discovered that it is much more than this, whereas Corrine Day developed her work through a conversation between sitter and photographer, other Candid photographers have developed a very different approach. Henri Cartier Bresson believed in the decisive moment and many of his photographs were taken without the subject being aware. Other photographers have since used this to exploit the subject. It is amazing and very interesting to see just how many other variations of Photography can be developed simply by each photographers’ different interpretation of the word Candid.

The true honesty of Candid Photography is in the eye of the photographer, we see the subject through their eyes whether they want to shock the viewer or capture a tender ‘decisive moment’, the use of informality breaks the boundaries giving photographers the freedom to be creative and original.