Irving Penn

I have heard this name several times, but I have never really explored his images and learned his story. Irving Penn was an American photographer known for his portraits and fashion photography. He photographed people such as Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp. He was a photographer for Vogue magazine for many years before founding his own studio. He was one of the first photographers to use a simple white, black, or grey backdrop to set his models in front of. He also experimented with different backdrops, often creating sharp angles to create tight corners. These set ups created drama in his photographs, drawing the viewer into the model's expression. He thought when you put people into this unexpected confinement, you got a more raw expression from his models.
There is something timeless, yet still dramatic about his photographs. I often forget how much a solid background can add drama to an image by drawing in the viewer to the model's expression. And especially with the right lighting, a simple backdrop can really add drama to an image. Portraits are definitely my favorite thing to photograph and I am always interested in different backdrops and lighting.