46

B+W

COMMENT

Portraiture is one of the most intimate of genres. But, according to

Thomas Peck, there are two ways of approaching it – directly face on or

discreetly as an observer. Either way, the emotional intensity is compelling.

FACING FACTS

H

ave you ever really

spent time looking

at someone? Given

them a good deep,

searching, intense

look? Even with

loved ones – let alone strangers

• it is rare that we look someone
  square in the face for a long
  time. If you hold another
  person’s gaze for more than a
  fraction of a second it can get
  quite awkward, both for you and
  them. We tend to look away.
  Looking at portraits means
  we don’t have to look away. It’s
  an important part of their
  appeal. We are allowed to do
  something that feels taboo in
  ordinary life. With a portrait
  there is no need to feel self-
  conscious about our curiosity,
  We can indulge. The person
  looking back at us doesn’t
  flinch, they hold our gaze.
  There is no embarrassment.
  This is portraiture’s greatest gift


• we can indulge our curiosity.
  At the risk of over-simplifying
  what is of course a vast genre, I
  suggest that there are essentially
  two types of portraits, each with
  a slightly different emotional
  intensity for the viewer. There
  is the complicit portrait – one
  where there is eye contact
  between spectator and sitter.
  And there is the observed
  portrait – where the image
  describes a person, but there
  is no contact.

The subject, unaware of the

photographer, reveals their

character and playfulness

through their actions.

Photograph by Alain Laboile.

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