Research: Seydou Keita. (WK 3)

Seydou Keïta lived in Bamako, Mali from 1921 to 2001.He was a self taught photographer that specialised in portraiture. The quality of his photos drew a great number of people, especially men. His studio catered for all kinds of people, but many came dressed and with objects they wanted him to photograph.

Untitled
1949/1951
19 x 23 in

Untitled
1952/1955
20 x 24 in

He only ever took one photo at a time, for economical reasons, and because of that each photograph had to be right. The figures are placed almost perfectly in the frame, there's balance and contrast. They're beautiful photographs even if they are simple portraits. The backgrounds were always plain, never detracting from the figures within the frame, the second photograph is an example of this, there are folds in the fabric and because of that the eyes are drawn in that direction, but as the folds are behind the figures the folds are a tool to direct the viewer to the subject. The figures are placed evenly in the frame, whether there's one or five, the photograph is balanced by their placement. The subject are also on equal grounds with the viewer, there's no high or low vantage points.