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Chris Page Get Out

Casual photographers can mimic Avedon’s style in a few steps

By Chris Page, Get Out

January 10, 2008

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There’s a deceptive simplicity to Richard Avedon’s black-and-white portraits, from the hardscrabble folks of his “In the American West” series (1979-1984) to the world leaders he had been photographing for decades until his death in 2004 — all rendered against his trademark stark whiteness.

But that doesn’t mean budding photographers among us can’t experiment with his style, and on the cheap. A good digital single-lens reflex camera — the kind that allows switching of lenses — can be had for less than $500 (I shot the image at right with a Nikon D40, $470), though you might get surprising results even with a point-and-shoot camera.

Here’s what you’ll need.

• The crucial (and, besides the camera, costliest) accessory is a roll of seamless white background paper. Expect to spend anywhere from $18 to $44.95 on a 53-inch-wide roll, available at most photography supply shops. Try Tempe Camera, (480) 966-6954; Mesa Photo Studio, (480) 969-5766; or online at www.adorama.com.

• Skip expensive light reflectors and head to an auto parts store for a pair of collapsible silver sunshades ($6 to $10 for a set).

• Find a shady spot against a wall (Avedon sometimes used the sides of barns) and tape up the paper. Turn off your camera’s flash. Avoid casting shadows by having an assistant — you’ll need that, too — experiment with positioning the sunshades around you.

There’s technique, of course, and then there’s the art: Avedon’s talent was connecting to his subjects. Once his camera was set up and focused, he stepped to the side and, according to exhibit curator Rebecca Senf, “he would begin to talk to the subject, and in that way he was able to evoke from them the revelation of a deep emotional state.”
Whether you’re after deep emotional states or just cool portraits, happy shooting.

Contact Chris Page by email, or phone (480) 898-5656

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