Artist Research - Peter Gasser

I am obsessed with these portraits. I really liked them as images and thought that they would be great for research, then i also realised that they have a use of depth of field in them, PERFECT. 

- - So a few years ago i went to Africa and i had an encounter with the Masai warriors. Immediately i pulled my camera out and wanted to take pictures. They didn't like this and really got aggravated. My guide told me to not take pictures as they believe it steals part of your soul (don't know if this was his own polite way of saying something far more abrupt or what they actually believed) anyway i would have loved to have taken some pictures and this is why i really adore these images so much - -

This image again is a great example of mid depth of field. I often struggle to try and define the difference between mid and shallow but i think that this is really easy its clearly mid. I like the use of that in this image because there is a lot more going on, not just the subject herself. You also have the little goat. I also like the way that whatever is in the background (possibly trees) has created a range of tones in the background what is different to the two below, what are rather bleached out and white. I think that this gives the image a natural feel and really get a sense that it is real not set up or studio-ish. In the picture itself i think the subtle light coming from the right hand side really highlights the subject nicely in a subtle none overpowering way.

Could i do a portrait with two people? I think that this is a really good idea. Maybe with twins? i like this image however i think that the white background and also the white paint all over the bodies of the subjects kind of makes them fade into the backgroud.

This has got to be my favourite shot. I just think that its so strong and intense. I love the lighting used that high lights his skin and gives it a glow. He really stand strong and bold of the white background. The fact that it is a profile shot really accentuates his features and the detail of the shape of his face. There looks to be a mid depth of field in this shot because the beads of the necklace appear to be fading out of focus at the back end of the image, but its rather subtle. The image overall has a powerful strong feel to it what i think the model is really wanting to portray.