Peter Lindbergh

Brief Biography
Peter Lindbergh, born on the 23rd of November, 1944, is a German fashion photographer and filmmaker. Peter Lindbergh did not become a photographer until he was in his mid thirties. Born in Leszno in Poland during the late 1944, he and his family escaped westwards at the end of the war where they were accepted by relatives in Duisburg. At the age of seventeen, Peter traveled to Switzerland for approximately 8 months, working as a shop window designer before moving to Berlin, where he enrolled at the Berlin Art Academy, supporting himself by various casual jobs including a sting at the Berlin Telegraph newspaper. Peter Lindbergh returned to German in 1967, after hitchhiking around southern France, Spain and North Africa for a couple of years, Peter enrolled in the Krefeld Art School. However, he left a year before graduation because of strikes by staff and students. So Peter began his photographic career 1971, assisting the Dsseldorf photographer Hans Lux. By 1973, Peter was working in his own right as an advertising photographer. Peters work was noticed in the late 1970s by Willi Fleckhaus, Art Director of the legendary magazine Twen, who remarked that Peters advertising images did not look like advertising and commissioned a fashion editorial occupying several pages. This shoot led to a fourteen page fashion editorial in Stern in 1978, after which Peter made the logical move to Paris. Throughout Peters journey in photography, he has shot many memorable advertising campaigns for, amongst others, Armani, Dior, Prada, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Jil Sander, Revlon and Hugo Boss. His Revlon campaign, with Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Eva Mendes and Susan Sarandon, occupied a Time Square billboard for a year. Peter Lindbergh does not only specialize in photography but also, he has directed some outstanding fragrance commercials, such as Lancme Tresor with Isabella Rossellini, Jill Sander No. 4 with Linda Evangelista, Guerlain Champs Elysees with

Sophie Marceau and a host of others like Armanis Gio. Peters stills of Karl Lagerfelds Sun Moons Stars campaign with Daryl Hannah are also memorable. In 1996, the American work wear label Hanes paid him record fees for a print and television campaign featuring Tina Turner, who then invited Peter to direct her Missing You video at Paramount Studios. In both 1995 and 1997, Peter Lindbergh was named Best Photographer at the International Fashion Awards in Paris. Peter Lindbergh, now, is still continuing his brilliant photography work, his filmmaking and also, publishing books about his work and life. Despite being one of the greatest photographers, despite his many successes, despite being such a big star, many art specialists believe that behind the camera Peter has the enthusiasm and gusto of a little boy discovering the world anew each time.

Photographers practice
Peter is considered to be one of the worlds preeminent fashion photographers, particularly in black and white, and is credited with helping create the supermodel phenomenon of the 1990s. He prefers his model to have minimal make up and a simple hairstyle. He is known for his black and white shots and his models completely natural, without any make up. He knows too go straight to the point, trying to quench his thirst for real and true clichs. Dedicated to the fashion industry, Peter believes that his work not only allows the audience to notice the models and the clothes, but the strength of the people themselves. Realistic, grainy, black ad white images are generally what spring into mind when Lindberghs name is mentioned yet he disputes the idea that he has a signature style. Through all these interesting techniques, his reasons behind this are what makes him stand out among the other photographers. Without the racks and racks of high fashion and the large amounts of makeup, Peter Lindbergh prefers bleak locations, insists that hair and makeup by unfussy and that his subjects look extremely natural. This is because Peter Lindberg believes that the woman is always more important that the clothes. Through this, what is strong about his work is the humanity inherent in his photographs. Unique, wonderful and also, a stylists worst nightmare, Peter Lindbergh always disputes what stylists have to say and asks if they have brought a white shirt and jeans. In addition to this, Peters other signature in his photographs is the black and white. He does this because The real world is in color so if you use black and white, you take it out of the real world, out of the banal. Peter Lindberghs photographs are mostly aimed at the general public. He helps businesses and well known people deliver their face/message/promotion to the public, and through this, he uses his unique techniques to allow his subjects look natural and look like a normal person, someone like a normal day individual. Art critics and specialist often underrate fashion photography, attributing it to show business alone. However, Lindbergh is part of an important photography trend as his genre could be called Classic Post Modernism.

Inspirations and Influences

During the early life of Peter Lindbergh, his inspiration came from Van Goghs artworks which were roughly translated into Peters artworks. He did major in art first and soon after, he began seeking new inspirations when he began to admire Joseph Kossuth and the Conceptual movement. He was so inspired that he could not

see himself in anywhere of his artworks but only the style of Joseph Kossuth. As he began to develop into photography, his inspiration lessened but became influenced by his life and his subjects. He began to develop his own unique style which is well known in the fashion industry today. Peter Lindberghs photographs are seen to be influenced by his early life and the culture he was brought up with. As his work developed, the powerful black and white photographs gradually became rich in contrasts reflecting, as he puts it, his melancholy Expressionists German vein. It is almost like his past has been translated into his photographs. Besides his past, Peter Lindbergh also was influenced by extraordinary women. As he photographed, he did not rely on clothing or makeup, rather on the natural face of his subject. The reason behind this is because he was influenced by a true person without disguises or the front and he wanted this subject matter to be portrayed through his work.

Structural and Subjective Analysis

The composition of this photograph distinctly shows the signature style of Peter Lindbergh. The rich contrast of the black and white photography is very powerful as it shows certain details in the photograph. In this photograph, the focal point is directed to the wrist watch. Although it is not in the centre of the photograph, it still draws your eye to it. Because the photograph is taken in a slight high angle shot position, it allows the high view down onto the subject which eventually allows the eye to travel to an object that stands out the most, in this case, the wrist watch. In addition to the camera angle, the light which has been used on the side allows a shadow to be casted in the body, not making that a focal point, shadowing certain points on the face, giving the model well defined cheek bones and giving light to her subjects hand which is supplied with rings and a wrist watch making them both, but more of the wrist watch because of its size, a focal point. This composition is clearly an advertisement for women accessories as it conveys an elegant and sophisticated style to the audience. By accentuating the accessories by light and camera angles, it has allowed the audience to take notice of them and hopefully made the audience admire the accessories. My personal attachment to this photograph is due to the natural feminine look but still having the elegant and graceful style. It gives a sense of high class and beauty

but not too overpowering. This again is due to the natural look of the model as she does not look too dressed up. The spotted fabric gives a different visual texture which suits the shoot and all the symbols that have been used fit together quiet well. The light and angle have been used effectively and the way the model has been shot is different. Instead of having her face in the centre or the accessories, the image is taken sort of, off centre which is very effective. There is nothing that can be disliked in this shoot, in my opinion.

The composition of this photograph is quite similar of that to the first. It again focuses on accessories making it, possibly, another advertisement for jewelry. The focus point is directly pointed to the glistening diamond ring as this time, the ring it is much closer to the centre. The photo is a close up of the models hand on her face, almost as if she is showing off her ring. The light is directly on her face but also on the ring allowing it to glisten in the light. Due to the lighting and the angle, its clear that the ring is the focal point. Peter Lindbergs photograph conveys the feeling of sophistication and grace without the need of an eccentric style. The image does not overpower the audience by excessively showing of the ring but by naturally placing the hand on the face. The personal connection between me and this photograph would mostly be again, the natural look. The model is not posing so much that it is gaining all the attention

but shes just naturally posing. Also, the model has a well defined face and the close up makes this even more clear, however because the photographer did not dress up the model too much, it allowed more attention to go to the ring rather than the face. This clever use of light and angles has allowed more attention and focus onto the ring which again is very effective. I admire this photo as it shows true skill in taking a photograph with the use of light and angled. Through this, I can mostly see a wedding theme.

Bibliography
1. Peter Lindbergh, 2010, Copyright Peter Lindbergh, Paris (France), viewed 6 May, 2011, http://www.peterlindbergh.com/#HOME 2. Zheng Yunfeng, 2011, CRI, London (England), viewed 6 May, 2011, http://english.cri.cn/6666/2011/04/11/1321s631458.htm 3. Paris Voice, 2010, 2010 Paricvoice, Paris (France), viewed 6 May, 2011, http://english.cri.cn/6666/2011/04/11/1321s631458.htm 4. Brabourne Farm, 2009, Brabourne Farm, Sydney (NSW), viewed 6 May, 2011, http://brabournefarm. /2009/10/ peter-lindbergh.html