Bey uses the idea of the 4 sides of the picture to help create the composition and the layout of the photograph. He uses the students gesture or posture to shape and frame the photograph. Bey states that he puts a lot of direction and thought into these photos and may want a student to model in a particular place. However he states that he tries his best not to make his directors hand so apparent to the student subjects. He wants them to feel comfortable and to act natural so that the photo is more genuine. Bey also has to consider things like setting up lighting and the background of the photo to create his image. Both Bey and the student subject. have to unconsciously work together to help create the photograph. Some of the things I picked up from Bey relating to portrait photography is how to work together unconsciously with my subject and get comfortable with them in order to create a  more genuine photograph. I think one of the things to make my subject more comfortable is by small talk or to act not as a ‘director’ but more as a ‘helper’ to help them position or to have a certain expression. Also I picked up and learned about the 4 sides of a photograph; which is essentially just the 4 framed sides around any photo. I think it is a good tactic to help and create the photo by shaping and framing the subjects figure around the 4 sides and to have it proportionally fit the frame. All of these tactics from Bey will help make my portrait photos more genuine and will improve my connection with my subjects.

In Dawoud Bey’s, Class pictures, the subjects, in this case his students, were placed in a school/classroom environment, which is blurred out in the background, so that the main focus could be his students, and not the objects behind them that could be distracting. The subject in the photographs are very nicely framed. They’re all positioned in the center, even though they are all in different positions. All of the subjects are looking straight ahead at the camera which cause for there to be a certain connection between the viewer and the subjects, almost as if they were actually sitting in front of one, having a somewhat deep conversation. Dawoud did a very nice job in capturing his student’s expressions. What Ii also realized about the photographs is that the lighting is subtle, and not dramatic. There is no harsh split lighting. It’s more of a clamshell lighting with a diffuser being used. The photographs seem like genuine high school students and not just some models that were hired. What I enjoy about them is the diversity that we see in all of those set of images. The expressions on the subjects have a subtle mystery to them, as if each one had a story that hasn’t been told yet. The idea that I got about how I might approach photography from looking at this work is that next time I could tell my subject to not force a smile or a pose, just let them do what makes them feel more comfortable because, this way my subjects will have more of a genuine feeling to them, just like in these photographs.

After researching Dawoud Bey I was drawn to his “Black-and-White Type 55 Polaroid Street Portraits” series. I’ve always been in love with street photography and it was great seeing him shoot street photographs in neighborhoods I’m aware of. From this series, each picture tells a story about the person being photographed. In this series, the models are looking into the camera with little to no facial expression but the details in the pictures and in the background storytells.

This is an example of my favorite picture from the series. As you can see the model in the photography has no facial expression, all of the expression is coming from his eyes.  This is an example to smiling with your eyes. Though he looks serious the icey he’s eating shows his innocence and showing him just being a kid.  Black and white photo sometimes portrays seriousness, but I love how Bey was able to balance it out in this image.

Photograph: Dawoud Bey

In Dawoud Bey’s Class Pictures, he balances his subject in his pictures. The expression of the subject is looking straight at the camera. The subject either has a calm, serious, or calm expression. Also, the gestures that the subject relays, it makes the photograph feel natural. As well as the subject does not fill the frame, there is space to view the background and environment where the subject is. It is a balance between the foreground and the background. Moreover, the lighting on the subject is on their side and a few subjects are near a wall that reflects light and lightens the shadow of the subject. Lastly, to approach portrait photography is to make emphasize your subject based on the background or location you’re placing them in. As well as their gestures and how they are dressed, create a balance of the background and the foreground. The subject is the main focus but as well as their gestures and posture that give meaning or a message in the photograph.