History of Image - Portrait photographers

For this task I had to research 2 past photographers of a given genre - portrait photography.
I was pleased to receive this genre to research, as it is an area that I do not have much experience of, and as such probably have a lot to learn.

Initially I thought about my perception of portrait photography, and I recall old school photograph's where non of the students want to be there, and aren't enjoying the experience. No character or emotion is captured and whilst the clothes of the given era may be colourful, the images appear bland - maybe this is why I don't like portraits?
Time has moved on and disposable cash, some would say is more readily available, and with the rise in disposable income came a rise in the desire for family portraits to capture the 'spirit' of a family and the 'venture' style portraits that are now quite common - high key lighting, white backgrounds, white T-shirts and bare feet, whilst these might differ drastically from the family and school portraits of old, they all have the same feel - no matter who the family, like the poses are out of a handbook sent down from head office!
So why do I not like portrait photography? Probably because I haven't been exposed to as many images of different styles as I'd like, and the images I'd been bombarded with from this genre were bland and had no soul. So in my research I'm looking for photographers who capture something different, the essence of either themselves or the subject in a way I've never seen before.

I've used a lot of websites and books in this piece, the following are of note;
Master of photography
Photography as art
Criticising photograpghy
The ongoing moment
The theatre of face

Peter Hujar
Born in New Jersey in 1934, Peter Hujar moved to New York to work in the advertising and fashion industry. At this time New York was financially in poor standing but a place that was experiencing a surge in cultural changes through Gay Nightlife culture.
His black and white work was largely filled portraits of the 'alternative' people with whom his lifestyle would have brought him into contact with and feature nude gay men, drag queens and 'alternative' performers.

Hujar, who died in 1987 after an AIDS related complication, received little recognition during his lifetime, but was an important influence on other photographers and his work has featured in many exhibitions since his death.
His most recognised image is Candy Darling on her Deathbed.
The transsexual, who was a central figure in the downtown scene of New York, is pictured looking peace full, elegant and beautiful as she lies in a hospital bed awaiting her imminent death. Her face made up, her clothing is an elegant blouse as she continues to play her role as The Diva, defiantly refusing to look poorly, ever graceful, however close the end may be. Inescapable though is the morbid truth;  the black rose on the bed, the strip lighting of the hospital and the distant darkness.

The image is well composed and illustrates the many layers of emotion that must have been felt by both the photographer and the subject at that moment in time, as well as the ongoing struggle Candy must have had throughout life balancing normality with the diva and sexuality, and how the urge to perform remained until the end.


Roman Vishniac
Born in Moscow in 1897 to an unusually respected Jewish family, Roman was a diverse photographer and is well known for his contributions to photo microscopy, however, I am interested in his portraits of Slovakian and Polish Jews in their impoverished communities during the 1930's when Vishniac moved he and his family to Germany just as anti-Semitism was growing.

The image above, titled Sara, Warsaw, Poland captures the fragility of the little girl, who appears unkempt, under weight and alone. small in comparison to the things around her and well within the frame, the little girl appears dirty and impoverished, but retains a look of innocence - she is not buckling under the weight of her situation.
It is almost as though Vishniac knew the fate that the Nazi rule would bring to the Jewish community, and that they would not survive future events.
Vishniac was however commissioned by the Jewish Council who were working to assist Jews in eastern Europe, so is their purpose to make the subjects appear needy?

There is much more to portraiture than a rigid family pose or an over fashioned 'trendy' shoot, and I am now more interested at developing skills to use in portrait work.