Artist Research Week 1: Shutter

Week 1 Shutter Artist Research

Artist 1

Helen Levitt

                                          

                                                 Helen Levitt, New York, 1983

Helen Levitt, New York, 1945

Helen Levitt was born in 1913. In the 1940's Helen took many Photographs on the Streets of New York. Her work was never intended to tell a story or document a social thesis. She took Photographs in poorer neighborhoods because there were more people out on the streets and street life was more  sociable and visually interesting. Most of Helen's images show children playing and people out and about in their everyday live's, which is revealed as being filled with qualities of art as if the streets were a stage, and the people are the actors and dancers within. 

The Top Image (1983), I feel was shot with a Medium Shutter Speed. The lady and umbrella are really sharp while everything behind is slightly blurred. Also probably would have been shot Hand Held. When I look at this image, to me it looks kinda like the lady is standing in front of a poster of the man running. 

The Bottom Image (1945), I feel was shot using a Fast Shutter Speed. The background and foreground of this image look clear and sharp. This image also would have been shot Hand Held. 

Artist 2

Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon, Marilyn Monroe, Actress, May 6 1957

Richard Avedon, Brigitte Bardot, January 1959 

Richard Avedon was born in 1923. Richard was an American Fashion and Portrait Photographer. He was a leading Photographer for Vogue and photographed most of the covers from 1973-1988. He photographed for a Calvin Klein Jeans Campaign  featuring a fifteen year old Brooke Shields and photographed many celebrities including The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe,and  Brigitte Bardot. In addition to his continuing fashion work, he began Studio portraits of  Civil Rights Workers and Politicians. He then branched out to photograph patients in Mental Hospitals, The Civil Rights Movement in 1963, protesters in the Vietnam War, and later the fall of the Berlin Wall. 

The Top Image (Marilyn Monroe), This image has a lot of clarity on Marilyn and a blurred background.  I feel this shot was done using a Medium Shutter Speed.

The Bottom Image (Brigitte Bardot), I feel this image was taken using a slow Shutter Speed. Everything in this image is sharp BUT her hair looks like it's moving, this wouldn't have been able to be achieved without a slower shutter speed.