Portrait+assignment



Yousuf Karsh (1908 - 2002) photographed many celebrities of his time including Albert Einstein, Audrey Hepburn, Queen Elisabeth, and Muhammad Ali. One of his most famous portraits, "The Roaring Lion" personified Britain during WWII. After pulling the cigar out of Winston Churchill's mouth, Yousuf snapped him in this defiant pose.

This photo of Albert Einstein shows Karsh's masterful use of lighting. The creases in Einstein's face and hands are highlighted just enough to suggest the wisdom of years while the catchlight in the eyes shows a youthful thirst for understanding. His hands clasp in a pensive, relaxed pose. Karsh always tried to capture the innermost character of his subjects through momentary gestures and fleeting expressions when the the facade slips out of position.

Unlike Karsh, Hiroh Kikai (born in 1945) photographed ordinary people in an ordinary setting. His big ongoing project, the "Asakusa Portraits" involves waiting at Senso-ji for people to photograph. He may wait for days without taking a single photo. Hiroh Kikai's photos show strangers being strangers. He chooses subjects with little quirks, like this man with four watches. There's something about the way these people present themselves that shows the very deepest layer of their being right on the surface. Without knowing anything about the person, you can see their entire character in the photograph. You've been on the bus or walking around town when you just glance at someone, and you want to keep looking at them. It's not because they are gorgeous or funny looking, but something about them is just interesting. Of course, it's not polite to stare, but those moments are replicated and immortalized by Kikai's portraits.