Famous Portraits

Leo Dicaprio

Annie Leibovitz

1997

Dovima with Elephants

Richard Avedon

1955

Yitzhak Rabin Israel

Arnold Newman

1967

      I absolutely love the techniques used in the portraits of these talented photographers. Annie Leibovitz's portrait of Leonardo Dicaprio is outstanding. First and foremost, her use of the rule of thirds is extremely effective. Placing Dicaprio off-center adds a lot of interest to the portrait. His piercing and intense stare is emphasized by this arrangement. The contrast between light and dark is also huge in this photograph. The white swan contrasts the blackness on the left side of the photograph. Perhaps Leibovitz is trying to convey a message, for it is extremely clear that the two halves of the photo contrast significantly in terms of lightness and darkness. I love the idea of conveying a deep message through photography; it is beautiful. Richard Avedon's portrait of the lady weaved into the elephants is gorgeous. I primarily love the way he captured the woman between the elephants; it looks as if she is interwoven between them. It is almost as if she is one with the elephants in a symbolic manner. Avedon similarly uses a contrast between light and dark in the image which adds to the effect of the portrait. It is extremely creative. The image is very expressive, and it illustrates deep emotion. I particularly love Arnold Newman's portrait, because the background conveys messages that completely surpass the photograph. By taking the portrait in this setting, Avedon ensures that the viewer is able to infer different things about the subject. The photograph tells stories; it is powerful. I also love how Avedon took the portrait from a different perspective. This adds interest to the photograph. On the whole, the stylistic aspects of these photographers' portraits are incredible. Each portrait is not merely a portrait, but it is a story. They all convey messages and powerful emotions.