Assignment 5: Hedgecoe Inspired Works (SAMSUNG PL70 / VLUU PL70 / SAMSUNG SL720)

All Photos:

ISO 400

F-stop f/3.4

Varying Exposures

Assignment 5 - A Summary of John Hedgecoe

• A lot of Hedgecoe's works use a strong light from either the side of the subject to illuminate the subject's facial features as it makes for a far more dramatic picture. It also highlights wrinkles etc (commonly seen as practically of the subjects are 40+) and creates stronger, more interesting contrasts.
• His portraits either show the subject at ease working their profession or relaxing, or show them very posed in a formal portrait taking session, e.g. this portrait of Agatha Christie & her husband.
• The narrative of his works are often very passive and impersonal, and you feel as though instead of taking a portrait, he's advertising the subject, but this said it could just be my personal opinion and even so there are a few exceptions.
• Hedgecoe, due to his period in time, used film to take his photographs as that was the medium of the era. It also appears that he was a travelling photographer as his subjects are seen with varying backgrounds, but there are some that could have been reproduced in a studio. Some as well, like this portrait, appear to be taken in the subject's home.
• Many of his subjects are wealthy people and/or of high importance of the time or other times, these people include royalty, lords and ladies, and popular artists.
• Hedgecoe's subjects are often directly in the centre of the photograph, whether that be a person of interest or their work, there is never no space left in the direct centre. Occasionally they are slightly to the side or misplaced fro effect, but that could be why the portraits often feel so isolated and cold, because of the placement of the objects.