Did you like the photos that Nadav Kander took for the NYT Magazine of President Obama's "People"

[GoneOffShore]

Link is here - http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/magazine/2009-inauguration-gallery/index.html

It's complete with commentary by the photographer.

I do have to say out front that I personally find the pictures to be flat and boring with little insight to who these people actually are. Someone with a P/S and some seamless could have done just as "good" a job.

And I have looked at Kander's other work and think it's technically proficient, but essentially soulless. Link here :http://www.nadavkander.com/#

[blueraven95]

1. I have to agree

they mostly felt like mug shots, which might have been the point (but it is belied by the very few which broke the structure), but I can't figure out why someone would want to do that this early in the game.

There is clearly no spontaneity in most of the shots, and the cold, clinical feel is unflattering to most, if not all, of the subjects. In the few pictures with warmth, it seems to me, that warmth came from the subjects themselves and not from any proficiency on the part of the photographer.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Ah, "mug shots." That's the word I was looking for. n/t

[blueraven95]

9. just calling it like I see it

:D

[Juneboarder]

16. I agree with you...

not much personality.

[tekisui]

2. I really like some of them.

Rahm, Axelrod, Rice, Power, Clyburn, Gibbs.

I felt the plainness and commonality of them all, allowed for subtle differences in each one. Notice the sloppiness of Axelrod compared to Shinseki's posture. I really enjoyed it.

Some of them missed the mark, though, for sure.

[Celebration]

5. well I agree

It seemed to me that there were just too many people for one photographer to do in that period of time. I felt as if he got a few of them right on, and the others his attitude was "I need to get this job behind me." I could sense the burnout, almost.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I really don't care for them much.

They don't pop.

[Mira]

6. I'm the not impressed but hate is too strong one (first one:))

He sure ain't no Annie - but then, some rare times, neither is she.
What bothers me is the sameness of the format. It gets very dull and I did not finish looking.

[NV Whino]

7. I mostly didn't like them

There was no rapport with the subject. Most of them looked like they were in a lineup.

[JeffR]

10. A select few of them OUGHT to be in a lineup.

;-)

[NV Whino]

15. Can't argue with that.

[CC]

8. Mug shots is the perfect way

to described these. I do not like them at all and am almost to the hate point. Way too harsh lighting. Were they trying to make them look like criminals on purpose? Then there is the "high key" background with what appears to be fake drop shadows added. Maybe the shadows are real I don't know enough to know for sure but they look fake anyhow. Makes me want to scream at him to make up his mind, high key or not. Then there is the whole political slant thing in making the new crew look crooked.



I hope the above makes some kind of sense. I was interrupted at least 6 times while trying to post. sigh Part of why I have been so quiet lately.

[dbmk]

11. Shots seemed decent

But the post processing is horrible.

[GoneOffShore]

12. Thanks for all the responses.

I know that judging these kinds of portraits is very subjective.

As I said at the top, I was underwhelmed. I spent some more time after I posted the poll looking at Kander's work. I personally find it boring.

I look at his stuff the same way I look at Diane Arbus. They're both "one trick ponies".

[Stevenmarc]

13. He's no Annie Leibovitz

[tekisui]

14. I've looked at them a couple more times, and like them even more.

I appreciate stripped-down minimalism. The harsh light is unflattering for more, by design. It humanizes them. It shows them as the real people they are, rather than celebrities posed and airbrushed to perfection.

It exposes where their real beauty and qualities are. Rice and Power are still stunning, and Clyburn looks excellent. Reed, not Harry, looks like a hobbit. I will be looking at these again.

[alfredo]

17. They are regular people exposed to a harsh light.

[NashVegas]

18. I Think It's Fascinating

If you look at them singly, most appear to be an unattractive photograph of that person.

When you view them as a collection, you notice the incredible diversity of the people; their personal expressions, the way they hold themselves. You see their imperfections, loud and clear.

This group of incredibly imperfect-looking people put a President in office, one whose own image is golden.