Good Thursday Morning from your Thursday Student Ambassador. Today is a great day to find some great light and shadows.
Recently I’ve become fascinated
with the work of George Hurrell, the Master of Hollywood Glamour Photography.
Why was he so successful? Because he used light and shadow to create dramatic
images that brought out the curves, physical features and even emotions of his subjects. The shadows are as important as the light to bring out the beauty and details and tell a story.
A
close friend of Hurrell, Pancho (Florence) Barnes, needed to look like a man to get a
pilot’s license. (photo1) Hurrell’s image was so successful he felt bad and insisted on
taking images of her that made her look beautiful, even though she was not
considered a beautiful woman. (Hurrell) These images were the real launch of Hurrell on
his photographic journey. Not too much later, Norma Shearer, an actress known
for her good girl image, wanted a chance at a very sexy modern woman role, but
even her director husband said it was not a role she could play. She had George
Hurrell take photos of her (photos 2 and 3) that changed even her husband’s concept (and
supposedly improved their marriage also), and got her the role that won her an
Academy Award for Best Actress. (Hurrell)
If you are interested in portrait
photography, make sure to familiarize yourself with the work of George Hurrell,
and spend lot of time working to recreate his lighting. If you do, your
photography skills will even amaze you.
Have a great Thursday!
George Hurrell. 2013. http://georgehurrell.com/george-hurrell/
