Research: Irving Penn. (WK 2)

Irving Penn is most well known for his fashion photography. Penn's repertoire also includes portraits of creative greats; ethnographic photographs from around the world; still lifes of food, bones, bottles, metal, and found objects; and photographic travel essays.

Messenger from Cartier, New York, 1951

Vintage gelatin silver print

13 1/4 x 10 1/2 in.

Edition of 9

Charbonnier (B), Paris, 1950

Platinum palladium print

16 3/4 x 11 1/2 in.

Edition of 31

Cigarette No. 34, New York, 1972

Platinum palladium print

23 3/8 x 18 3/8 in.

Edition of 18

 Penn's use of earth tones rather than full colour add to the photographic interest. What would be rather uninteresting subject matter now becomes detailed. The shadows are fuller and the lighting more controlled. The figures and subject matter stand out from the background, set apart by the colours of the clothing, making solid lines seperating the two fields. Aperture would have been a big part of Penn's work. The third photograph, Cigarette No. 34, is the easiest example of showing aperture. The subject matter remains in focus, while the background, however plain, is not. The figures on the other hand, the plain background is in focus alongside the figures, creating more depth to the image. The third photograph shows the narrowest depth of field out of the three images, the close up subject matter allows the artist to have a narrower aperture without it becoming too soft. The third image is quite sharp even for a narrow depth of field. The other two images, as they are full body shots and all completely in focus, are an example of a wider depth of field. A wider depth of field was more appropriate for full body shots, it allows the photographer to keep the whole body of his model in focus, but also to add depth between the model and the background.