we all know the story of marilyn monroe. we have seen the bombshell facade, recognize the pictures, heard the stories. but through the lens of richard avedon we suddenly see through it all. the glitzy dress, perfect hair, and flawless makeup can't hold a candle to the striking moment of insecurity and raw vulnerability expressed through the instant shutter of a camera. it entrances me to look at this and see a picture of norma jean instead of the usual fabricated marilyn because at some point in life i think we all feel the same way. the surge to succeed, the "fake it till you make it" mentality- after a while it catches up to you, you didn't see it coming, and it hits you like a ton of bricks. on some bizarre level i find human err to be incapacitatingly beautiful (yes, i have derived my own version of the word incapacitate).my assignment this week is to photograph portraits of those i know, those i love, those who share intimate moments of life. and i can't help but feel that i don't want to shoot those 36 exposures of 35mm to be filled with smiling posed facades. its just generic. think about it- when do we take pictures? at weddings, birthday parties, family gatherings, other holidays... people pose and put on big cheesy grins and stand in ridiculous postures with the intention of looking 10 lbs thinner or showcasing their "best side." i want to look through my lens and see authenticity. i want to capture both the ecstatic bliss and crippling heartache of getting up and living every single day. i want to capitalize on those instants in someone's life that only i can capture, the side that a professional stranger could never shoot. i want to accentuate the fact that within every single image, there is always something else. i think that's where the passion of photography contains it's very essence, and it is the most captivating, inspiring, romantically timeless thing i have ever experienced.
10 comments:
what's your email address so I can send you my story, as requested?
Wow... nice, you never cease to amaze me. I love this post.
have always loved, loved, loved marylin... just because she is so much more (should say was, I guess) than Marylin. Have you ever read the short story, "Blonde" By joyce carol oates?
Love that story.
i haven't, but i'll check it out. thanks for the recommendation! :) btw, do we know eachother?
I have to wonder if even this was a front. I'm not saying it was; obviously I have no idea, but I wonder if her acting, what she did so skillfully, was used to create a sense of vulnerability?
Isn't she beautiful, though? Those curves, the softness...she is so mysterious to me...I feel like we'll never really know what was going on in her head, ever.
i thought the same thing until i read nymag's article which explained the circumstances of this very shoot:
"Today, we all know the backstory: Tragic, beautiful Marilyn, doomed by a swirl of drugs and bad men and her wrecked sense of self. But precisely 50 years ago, at Richard Avedon’s studio on Madison Avenue, she could still step into the breathy-blonde persona. “For hours she danced and sang and flirted and did this thing that she did- Marilyn Monroe,” Avedon said later, adding that the white wine helped things along. “Then there was the inevitable drop … she sat in the corner like a child, with everything gone.” And he clicked his shutter once more. “I wouldn’t photograph her without her knowledge of it. And as I came with the camera, I saw that she was not saying no.” The resultant final frame is among the most famous portraits ever made."
the fact that this was one of the few candid and truly human pictures of her is precisely what is so entrancing to me. yes, she was an actress, but i love the fact that this is a moment went the wall had crumbled.
I loved this post. I have to say that I personally have never taken a bad photo, even when I didn't know someone was taking it. I always look 10 pounds thinner, and every side is my good side, really I am just made for the camera, feel free to use any of my photos for your class, you will get an A+ for sure. CHEESE
alisa rae,
it's a good thing i know you because otherwise i would have thought you were the biggest bitch EVER! since i know this isn't the case, all i can say is that you are hilarious! :) hey, it's not your fault you're perfect, right?!
That is an amazing picture. I think you should definitely capture the everyday intimate moments that you can with your camera. I would love you see some of your photos when they are ready (if your subjects done object). :)
you know korey?! he's probably one of my favorite people in the world. and i LOVE this pic of norma jean. it's seriously lovely. I love you dearly and I'm so glad that you're as stoked as I am about Lake Powell. it's gonna be rockin! You're part of the family so I'm glad you don't feel awkward hanging out with my family (like some of my friends). but i love you and I'm TOTALLY down for dinner again soon. and loni is back in the 8-0-1 (only it's happy valley this time. sucks to be her!) and we should all play. that is all. loves you
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