By guest blogger Kate Elliott
A couple of weeks ago photographer and artist Kate Elliott led a one-day photography course, exploring a broad range of approaches to contemporary portraiture. To tie in with the current V&A display Facing History: Contemporary Portraiture, the group discussed how contemporary practitioners have adapted and drawn inspiration from historical or conventional modes of portraiture, and how past methods of photo-taking have affected and influenced how we photograph today.
The group also explored the power of photography in terms of story-telling. During the morning’s session, they focused on taking a series of stripped back portraits, providing an insight into their subject and revealing something about their subject’s character. In the afternoon they worked on developing a narrative and providing a context to their subject, incorporating the building, the surroundings and the architecture of the museum into their portraits.
This blog post highlights an edit of images taken throughout the day.
© Keiko Kumamaru
© Joe Navin
© Cecile Ruhe
© Fabien Marcque
© Lauren Doss
© Susan Daly
© Joe Navin
© Susan Daly
© Fabien Marcque
© Lauren Doss
© Keiko Kumamaru
© Cecile Ruhe