Imogen Cunningham: More Than Portraits

     I recently read an article about the great portrait photographer, Imogen Cunningham. Inititally, I became a bit uninterested upon reading that she specialized in portraits, my least favorite type of photography; however, upon actually seeing her work, my entire outlook on portrait photography changed. I used to think of portrait photography as this dull, boring type of capturing a moment until I saw Cunningham's portraits which are, simply put, more than just portraits. They are, in essence, expressions of the subjects personality and occupation.

     Cunningham used scenery, lighting, and developing effects in order to somehow reflect her subjects inner psyche, or perhaps something even simpler: his or her occupation. Yet, words alone cannot give credence to the genius of Cunningham, one must see the "portraits" in order to understand the interesting and unique way that she portrays her subjects. For example, her portrait of Man Ray, A Man Ray Version of Man Ray, utilizes a surreal developing technique in order to portray Man Ray's metaphorical and fantastical photography.

A Man Ray Version of Man Ray- 1960

     Yet, not only did Imogen create phenomenal, representative portraits of people, but also she created beautiful "portraits" of objects, essentially redefining what a portrait is. Imogen's portrait of a magnolia blossom is especially beautiful, but it is not simply beautiful. It is expressive somehow, perhaps due to the intricate contours contained within the central bud, or perhaps due to the silky appearance of the petals. It certainly sets a mood, which is more than I had previously thought possible of a portrait, let alone a portrait of a flower.

Magnolia Blossom- 1925

     I'm glad that I stumbled upon Cunningham's photography. Now I don't think I'll feel hesitant to take portrait photography any longer.