Dean Chalkley

Dean Chalkley is a Brittish photographer born 2 April 1968 from Southend on Sea. Dean Chalkleys carrer started while assisting in a advetising campaign for 'Twix'. He was involved in advertising for companies such as Ben Sherman, Kodak and Lloyds. He was also involved in a magazine called 'Mixmag' shooting covers and inside features. Being involved in advertising allowed Dean Chalkley to finance his own side projects which involved his short film 'Strip' which was shown in several short film festivals and won the Kinofilm 2000 best experimental short film award and the International short film festival in Manchester. In 2001 his career as a photographer merged shooting for the 'New Musical Express' (NME) magazine in 2001 with the band The Verve being his first subject. He continues to shoot covers and features for the magazine today. This has proved a successful working partnership with Dean winning the Portrait Photographer of the Year at The Picture Editors award in 2006. 

One of Dean Chalkleys photo shoots was with The Horrors for NME magazine in August 2006. The Horrors are an Indie Rock band who have a certain image and scene around them, i feel especially in the photo below Dean Chalkley captured this. I especially like how you can only see the musicans body outline and the rest of the photo is blurred out. I also really like the colours used, giving it a misty dark and unusual look. I like how Dean Chalkley must of presumed the readers would of known who the body shape belonged to.

Still being involved in the NME magazine, Dean Chalkley had a photo shoot with The Maccabees as part of their interview. The Maccabees are an Indie Rock band who are full of life and fun, i feel the image below portrays just that. I really like the surrealism used, how he is 'blowing raspberrys' on the television screen. I also like how the background is plain and simple allowing all attention to be on the television.

Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz is an american photographer born October 2, 1949 connecticut, USA. Her family moved a round a lot due to her father working in the air force, her first photo was taken in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. Annie Leibovitz's career began in 1970 when she was hired as a staff photographer working for the newly launched magazine 'Rolling Stone'. 1973, her career took another leap and was named chief photographer of 'Rolling Stone'. Annie Leibovitz worked for the magazine till 1983 after defining the 'Rolling Stone' look with help from her intimate photographs with celebrities.

December 8, 1980 Annie Leibovitz had a photo shoot with John Lennon for the 'Rolling Stone' magazine. A picture of just john lennon was asked for but was soon re created to being a joint photograph with him and his partner Yoko Ono. The photograph was initially inspired by one of Annie Leibovitz's favorite photos from the 'Double Fantasy' album cover. She was the last person to photograph John Lennon, 5 hours later he was shot and killed. This photograph interests me and i have my own personal look upon it, i feel like John Lennon is giving his partner everything making him naked with insecurities to being hurt. The fact she is fully dressed gives the idea that she is in control. I think this a powerful photograph and works well.

Annie Leibovitz photographed Fleetwood Mac for the 1977 issue of 'Rolling Stone' magazine. She photographed the band laying together in a double bed. There were two ex couples in the bed and the band had worries about feeling uncomfortable. Christine McVie recently devorced from John McVie didn't want to be laying next to him which then left him the odd one out reading a Playboy magazine. I love this photograph because not knowing any history about the band or their relationships, the fact John McVie is reading a playboy magazine portrays the idea of sexual thoughts. Which then portrays jealously to the other two couples in the bed. Although once you investigate the band you realise none of them were dating at all when the photo was being taken.

What is Portrait Photography?

Portrait photography has been around since the camera was first invented. People found it was a cheaper easier method than portait painting. The objective behind a portrait is to capture the individuals personal traits, for example their personality, mood and to high light important factors of the face like the eyes, nose and mouth. Usually the main focus is the individuals face, although in some portrait photographs the individuals body and background may be included. Although a portrait is usually a image of a person in a still position, capturing the person looking directly at the camera.























Portrait photography can be divided into four sections:
Close up
Facial shot
Upper body shot
Enviormental shot

There are also four approaches that can be taken in portrait photography. Each approach has been used over time for different reasons whether technichal, artistic or cultural.
Constructionist approach:
This is when a photographer portrays a idea through the photo. For example, a portrait of a couple showing romance and love or a family and friends showing happiness and fun. It is the most common approach in studio and social photography. It is also used in advertising and marketing photography.
The environmental approach:
This approach shows the individual in their normal enviroment for example a teacher in a classroom or a child in a playground. With this approach more is given about the individual, not all is left to the imagination.
The candid approach:
The most common example of this approach is paprazzi. The candid approach is where people are photographed doing their daily routines, it is more of a natural approach to a photograph.
The creative approach:
The creative approach is associated with digital manipulation, this approach is becoming more and more popular with portrait photography.