Contemporary Portraiture


Word and Image
August 24, 2015

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.1_KeikoK

© Keiko Kumamaru

2_JoeN

© Joe Navin

3_CecileR

© Cecile Ruhe

4_FabienM

© Fabien Marcque

5_LaurenD

© Lauren Doss

6_SueD

© Susan Daly

 

7_JoeN

© Joe Navin

8_SueD

© Susan Daly

9_FabienM

© Fabien Marcque

10_LaurenD

© Lauren Doss

11_KeikoK

© Keiko Kumamaru

12_CecileR

© Cecile Ruhe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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